Day at the Beach

On Friday we went to the beach and this is what awaited us. The sand on the beach was the nicest I have ever seen and the color of the ocean was just beautiful.

Believe it or not this picture was taken by Kenji, it actually turned out better than the one that I took of the group. My picture didn't have as much of the ocean and was more centered on the people.

We met this group the first evening at the place we were staying. I had to announce our group and I told everyone that Rachelle was looking for a boyfriend, when their group introduced themselves they said the guy in the pink trunks was also looking for a girlfriend, they waved at each other and Rachelle was too embarrassed. We met them at the beach and of course had to have a group pic. I would have liked to hung out with them they seemed like a lot of fun.

The Many Faces of Kenji

Kenji, quickly became our friend, and for that fact anybody's friend. He was so funny, so full of life, abounding in energy, and many different interesting faces. Don't have a picture of his most interesting face one that can only be described as his Tyrannosaurus Rex face. Like I said it seemed that he migrated to us foreigners, for who know what reason, but he will talk to anyone, and anyone who he talks to is immediately captivated with his charisma.
Now remember he is five! And at the same time he is talking to us foreigners and half of the time we are speaking in English and he seemed to not be bothered but just jump into the conversation. Half the time I think he knew what we were talking about. Sometimes he pretended to speak in English, but other times he would ask how to say something in English, or we would teach him little phrases that he would use and then be overjoyed when he used it and people understood him. It was very interesting. I wish I had students as motivated as him.

Okinawa Day One

On the spur of the moment last Wed. I decided to join my friends and go to Okinawa. Well actually I realized on Monday that my week had been freed up and I really didn't give much thought in going to Okinawa because I figured that there was no way I would be able to get a flight there and back at the last minute. I had checked earlier and it looked very unlikely. Well when I got to work on Wed. I thought I would just check, and low and behold there were seats available, so I snapped them up made a few calls and the wheels were set in motion.

I made a quick run by my house to hurriedly pack then I was off to the airport. As it turned out I had booked the same flight as the Bartons, Alina, Abbey, Rachelle, and the Sakata sisters.

Pastor Kinjo picked us up at the airport loaded us all in his van and off to his church to spend the night. I was excited to be able to get away for all of Golden Week, even though it meant skipping out on my drum camp that I had planned to go for one day. It is probably for the better, I wasn't really looking forward to a whole day of torture.

I was the only one that had grabbed a sandwich at the airport and wasn't completely starved, but when we got to the church, Mrs. Asato had a meal ready for us. She is a great cook and this is one of her ministries, cooking for church occasions. She took care of us while we stayed at the church. The food was really good with a very Okinawa family home cooking feel.

The next morning we waited around the church for the other members to gather and then we headed off to the port to catch a 1:00 ferry to Tokashiki island. Alina spent most of the morning taking crazy pictures with my camera. Below is one of her "portraits", if you don't know already it is Abbey and Alina.

Golden Week

Well I'm 49. Last night I had a nice birthday dinner at the "Cowboy Steak House" in Okinawa. the trip was a last minute decision, but one that I'm glad I made, and probably very lucky that I actually got tickets. We had cheese burgers, and they were fantastic. I got home last night about midnight, I have the pictures uploaded to my computer but I will take some time the next few days posting my adventures in Okinawa.

IKEA

Well after more than ten years living with a hand-me-down dresser, I broke down and bought a new one at IKEA. Actually my old one is falling apart and I don't have enough room for all my clothes. I went and cased out IKEA yesterday, and decided on this piece. They have so many cool things just to bad I couldn't start from scratch and get all new furniture. Some day I will have that chance and I think I will be making a b-line to IKEA, if it is still around whenever I get around to doing that.

Lem

Just as I thought Lem got killed off by Shane. The final episode was also a tear jerker, well at least for me. I found my self with tears streaming down my face. Lem the good guy gets blown up by one of his friends, and Vic vows to find the killer. It should make for a great season 6. I don't think I will download it just wait till it comes out on DVD.

Rainy Day Blues

Another rainy day which means I had to take the bus and train to work today, which I hate because it takes twice as long. There was a bus at the stop when I got there and I could have rushed to get on but it was already full and there are 6 more stops after mine before it gets to the station. I got on the next one and at least it wasn't packed, full but not packed. I'm sure most of the busses and trains run well over 200% capacity so they must be making a killing.

Smell Memories

Well after the DVD marathon, and getting through the wedding that I was asked to perform, I thought that needed to get out of the house so I met Rach, and Alina at the California Pizza Kitchen. They have the most unusual pizza, but they have this avacado, bacon, and cheese egg roll type thing that is out of this world, and they also serve a nice California white zinfandel. Alina cracks me up too bad it was good to sit enjoy some good food and lots of laughs.

But back to Alina, she says that she has "Smell Memories", and I can't say that I really do, then today I walked into one of my classes and there was the smell of Jello being made. I thought that hey I think I'm having a smell memory, and then I thought no I just remember the smell. Maybe because I really don't like Jello and any memory that I might have is negative so I pushed it away.

The Shield

I have been having a DVD marathon this weekend. Susan got me started on this series, and yes it is shocking and pushes the envelopes it certainly has me hooked. I picked up the first 4 seasons when I was in China, then I saw that Season 6 was out, well I needed to get season 5 so thanks to Amazon.com I have been having a great time watching this series again. It is so intense and draws you in and I have to just say stop even though I'm dying to find out what happens next.

One interesting thing is that no matter how bad the Vick and his guys are it seems like you always end up pulling for them. The IAD officer that is out after them now , Kavanaugh, is a real jerk he is supposed to be the good guy but you feel like he is the one that should be doing jail time, he's manipulative and sly and he just gives me the creeps. So here I sit rooting for the bad guys and hoping that the good guy will go down. How backwards is that. I guess it just goes to show how well the show is written.

Cell

Just finished reading this book, I really do enjoy reading Stephen King. This book had me hooked from the very beginning and it was hard to put down. A pulse is sent out over cell phone lines and all that pick up on that day lose their minds. It was very bizarre but very interesting. I really enjoyed the normies, or the people that survived and ended up destroying most of the phoners, the ones with their brains wiped out. Today I just had to finish I had to see how it was going to end, and yes they saved the day, and yes Clay finds his son, but the end is left wide open, who know what happens. I guess in a way that is good, but I would have liked the core group; Clay, Tom, and Jarod, to have gotten back together. Maybe Stephen has another book up his sleeve, and will solve that problem. We can only hope. Anyway it is a good read.

Flickr

Haven't posted for awhile so I thought I should get around to it. At least it hasn't been as long as The Country Parson, good to see that he is thinking about updating more often.

I haven't checked into Flickr recently either, but I thought that I would add a few more photos today and got playing around with their map feature which lets you post the pictures on the location that you took them. I'm not sure how you find other people on their maps yet but I bet it is interesting. Funny thing was that I could get better satellite pictures of Rangoon than I could of places in Japan. How weird is that. Take a look at my map.

Doctor Fish

Just when you have seen it all. I went to the bath tonight for a long soak and a massage. I saw they had what I though was a foot bath in the lounge area, but at further inspection it was a "Doctor Fish" foot bath. I had seen this on TV before, but didn't know that it was become a little bid of a fad in Japan, and there are a few places that have set up these foot baths. It is supposed to be good for skin diseases like psoriasis. I guess they are native to Turkey and they eat away dead skin. So is this disgusting, or something I might want to try. Actually I almost tried tonight, but the guy that was explaining it wasn't around so I put it off for another time.

The Thinker

The things some people won't do for a laugh!

M&M

What could be cooler than an M&M Store?

I definately want to visit this store. Isn't this one of the best candies in the world? What is nicer than the sound of M&M's being poured into a bowl, you can't tell me that you wouldn't recognize it. Well maybe I won't make it to the New York store, but they have on in Orlando too. It is on my list for this summer.

Back to School

Even after all these years in Japan, thinking "Back to School" at this time of the year still seems strange. Well the entrance ceremony was today and things are well on there way.
My grade's motto for the year is:

目で　聞き
手で　学び
　　心で　交わろう

In English

Listen with your eyes

Learn with your hands
Communicate with your heart

Actually the communicate may be a stretch in the translation the word means to interact, or to fellowship, but isn't that what communication entails.

Stagecoach Prayer

I thought this was great.

Taken from "Our Daily Bread"

Five-year-old Randy wanted a toy stagecoach for Christmas. While shopping with Mom, he found just the one he wanted. It was about 6" long and had cool wheels and dark brown plastic horses pulling it. “Mommy, I want this one. Pleeeease!” he begged. As young children sometimes do, he threw a tantrum, insisting that he get that stagecoach for Christmas. Mom said, “We’ll see,” and took him home.

Randy was sure he’d get what he asked for. Christmas morning came, and he opened the package confidently. Sure enough, it was the stagecoach he had begged for. He was so pleased. But then his older brother said, “You really did a dumb thing to insist on getting that coach. Mom bought you a much bigger one, but when you begged for that little one, she exchanged it!” Suddenly the small stagecoach didn’t seem so appealing.

Sometimes we’re like that with God. We pray about a specific need and tell Him how He ought to answer. We beg and plead—and God may even give us exactly what we ask for. But He may have had something better in mind.

Phillips Brooks once said, “Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God, in answering it, will not wish you had made it larger.” —Anne Cetas

Sardines

I felt like I was a sardine this morning as I rode the bus to the station. I couldn't do this every day, I'd go crazy. How do people do it and stay sane. I really don't know how. And on top of the fact that we were all packed in and they just kept getting on, in order to save time you have to get off the bus at the stop before the station and walk the rest so you won't be late. Maybe things will be better when they finish the new subway. It certainly be faster.

To Minakami and Back

Alina just sent me a few pics from our trip up to the staff retreat in Minakami. She always takes unusual pictures so I did my best to give her a silly pose as we were on the road. I think we hadn't made it out of Tokyo yet.

The retreat went really well and if you want a more detailed look at what we did you can visit Bernie & Cheryl's blog that I have set up for them, but haven't completely taught them how to use it. While we were there we did see a parade of monkeys, I didn't get any pics but some others did I am just waiting to get them. I will post them when I do.

First Day inefficiency

First day back to school and I sat through 2 meetings that were almost identical. This happens every year we sit with the full time teachers and have a detailed faculty meeting. Then we have lunch with the full staff and at this meeting where the part time teachers are in attendance, we go over pretty much what was said at the first meeting. How inefficient is that? Kill two birds with one stone... yes we could have done that today. The question is why didn't we?

Lent

O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
O sacred head, what glory, what bliss till now was thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call thee mine.

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners' gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! 'Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.

I think this is probably one of my favorite hymns, I especially like the last line, may it always be my prayer.

常識... Common Sense

Tonight was another annual tennis farewell party hosted by parents. In the midst of the conversation the 2 tennis coaches talked about the uniqueness of Tamasei. they both talked of how strange things were at Tamasei when they first started, a different world, probably you could say that for them as Japanese men having no contact with Christianity Tamasei was their... "Twilight Zone". One thing that was said that for them looking at Tamasei through their cultural eyes, everything that was common sense (joshiki), at Tamasei was hijoshiki, or you could say the opposite of common sense.

Again I was reminded of what my mission is here, how to make Christianity relavant, to find it's joshiki in Japanese society. Where is the line, why do the two have to be at such odds. I don't think they have to but for to many reasons they are. How do I stand among my colleagues and show them Christians aren't all strange? What will it take to touch the hearts of my colleagues? In thinking about this from now on when they talk on this subject and I am there I think I'm going to tell them I'm a Kakure (hidden) Japanese. Isn't this sort of what Paul was saying when he said, I have become all things to all men so that I might when a few.

Miyajima

Picture taken last summer on my trip with Drew. Tomorrow I am headed off for our spring staff retreat in Yunokoya, near Minakami. We will stop at one of my favorite hot springs on the way there, Takaragawa, and hopefully I'll have some nice pictures to share when I get back.

iPod

We are finally into spring break, but can you really call it spring break when almost no one takes any time off. Even many of the students are there almost every day. In fact I have seen one student who doesn't come to classes, but she has been coming to school during break go figure. I have had to be at school this week for club, basically I just sit in the teachers room and do any work that I can find and wait for the students to go home.

But I did get some other things accomplished this week. On thursday I finally brode down and bought a niw iPod and BOSE Sound Dock. It rocks! Good quality sound and compact.
Then on Friday I took a bunch of my hard back books to the the Yokohama Central Post Office to ship them back to the states in a Special M-Bag, I was able to send 40 lbs. of books for ¥5,400. Sure it will probably take forever for them to get there, but I'm not in any rush.

Thursday night was another drum party, and a chance to get rid of the Champagne that I got from tennis parents for graduation. We of course ate like there was no tomorrow. And the German girls of course brought great desserts again. I have had to do some walking to make sure that I can still wear my new pants. I was there from 6 and didn't leave until about 11:30. We had to wait around until our teacher showed up, but the food never stoped the whole time.

Roller Skate

Had a nice day out yesterday at Alina's. She made an awesome sandwich with apples, tomatoes, letuce, and two kinds of cheese. Topped with poppy seed dressing. Very good.


Then we sat down and watched the movie "Saved" too funny and too true at the same time. The funniest line in the whole movie is from the scene where this picture is taken from. Culley McCulken plays a parapalegic, and in this picture his halloween costume is, a roller skate. I fell on the floor laughing. Good I wasn't in the theater.

Stadium Buddy

Thanks Alina for sharing this video with me. It is too funny and yes it is a real product.

Prison Break

I have to admit that I love this series! It was great to watch the first season on DVD I love being able to sit down and watch 4 or 5 episodes in a row. Now thanks to iTunes I have been able to keep up with season 2 as they are downloaded the day after on air broadcast in the states. Oh the wonders of technology, no more having to wait for friends to video tape show and send then. I can keep current with almost anything with a click.

On a sad note, as I was looking for this picture I saw where Lane Garrison, the guy that played "Tweener" on the series is being charged with vehicular manslaughter. It is kind of sad to think that he might be thrown into a situation similar to what he acted in.

Quiz

Ran across this the other day and thought it was rather interesting. Give it a try. How much do you know?

1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?

3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?

4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn’t been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?

6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters ” dw” and they are all common words. Name two of them.

7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?

8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.

9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter “S.”

Thinking Time
Don't look at the answers yet.

Give up like this guy?

Here are the answers...

1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends. . Boxing

2. North American landmark constantly moving backward. Niagara Falls (The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.)

3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. . Asparagus and rhubarb.

4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside. . Strawberry.

5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. (The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.)

6. Three English words beginning with “dew” are: Dwarf, dwell and dwindle.

7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar; Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.

8. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh... Lettuce.

9. Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with “s”; Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.

American Friendly??

So we went to pick up Abbey at the airport today, and while we were waiting I was trying to tell Alina a little story when this lady standing close be just jumped into our conversation. I hadn't even noticed her, but she felt free enough to just pull herself into our conversation. Why are many Americans like that? Is it good or bad, it is something that I surely never fell free to do. Now Alina said that back in the states she would have probably been the same way, but after being in Japan for not even a year yet she was so taken aback by it. Me to. Difference with me is that even when I was in the states I don't think I ever really did anything like that. Where does it come from? Does anyone know?

Anyway on the way home we stop for supper, Bernie had found a Katsu restaurant that he had found before, but when we pulled in the parking lot Alina spotted a Hard Rock so we decided to go there instead.

Snow

Just heard on the news that this morning it snowed in Tokyo. Must have been like 2 flakes. It has been the big news that this year there was no snow in Tokyo. People get real I have never seen Tokyo as a place with snow. Yes it does come time and again but rarely does it stay on the ground for any length of time.

Last night was drum practice and we had another foreigner who is coming to join our group. Duncan Grey has been in and out of Japan since '91, he has jumped right in and already is comfortable with our members. Actually I have seen him at the 8th district speech contest, he said that he thought I looked familiar.

Kodo

This group was the inspiration for me to start drumming.

Kind Acts

I often get interesting fwds from different people, this story came from my aunt Jean, I'm not into forwarding messages so much so I will just put it up here. I think it says something about the importance of just being. Forget about the doing but just be.

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside.

"Your son is here," she said to the old man.

She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened.

Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed
Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached outhis hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.

The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed.All through the night
the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward,holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength.Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients.

Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held
tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.

Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.
"Who was that man?" he asked. The nurse was startled, "He was your father," she answered.
"No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life."

"Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"

"I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his
son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed."

The next time someone needs you ... just be there. Stay.

WE ARE NOT HUMAN BEINGS GOING THROUGH A
TEMPORARY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE.

WE ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS GOING THROUGH A TEMPORARY
HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

Birthday Time

Last night we all went out for dinner for Alina's birthday, then off to Bartons for cake and a new card game that we laughed wildly about.

Gov't Spending

I don't really keep up with politics much, but this little cartoon does make you think. And I think I will look into this organization.

Nagihana

I finally got the first part of our performance down to an uploadable size. Enjoy!!

Japanese Urban Dictionary

Gero Gakkari (Upchuck letdown) The feeling of disappointment you get when you find out that miraculously vacant seat on the last train has no one sitting in it because it’s covered in salariman puke.

Ran across this funny phrase on Quirky Japan, it was the best on the list. As I thought I wondered if it wouldn't be a good entry for a Japanese vesrsion of Urban Dictionary. Like the words that show up here on my sidebar if you haven't joticed.

Patience

I have had this jade tree for probably close to 15 years now. And I have waitede and waited for the day that it would bloom. This year it finally budded and has been ready to bloom for at least a month now. Well it has finally decide to open some of its blossoms, but not nearly as many as some of the many jade plants that I have seen. Maybe I am taking care of it too well. I have often found that it does better when it is neglected a little bit. Who knows?

Uncreated One

After downloading Chris Tomlin's new album for the Amazing Grace cut that I posted yesterday, today I have found this song to be even more powerful. Enjoy!!

Amazing Grace

Ran across a video promotion for the movie Amazing Grace, the story of John Newton. And was really moved by it. In fact I really think that God provided it for a worship experience for me. I would like to enbed the video here but can't find the code for it. But I did find this clip about the song written for the movie by Chris Tomlin, it is interesting and worth a listen.

You can find the video clip with the song here, click on The story of Amazing grace. It will move you.

Mega Mac

I have heard about the Mega Mac, but since I for the most part have stopped going to McDonald's haven't partaken until today. It was a leisurely day and so at lunch I ventured out and tried this big sandwich.

Actually it wasn't that bad, a little messy to eat and yes there was a lot of meat, but it could have used more cheese and more sauce. All in all I prefer a double cheese burger. But hey after such a long time it was sort of nice, and I am reminded how good their french fries are.

Buy the way how do you eat a Big Mac? I think most Americans I know will pick it up and turn it over eating it with the top bun down. I think it has something to do with the packaging and I have heard some say it is because the bottom bun tends to get soggy from the sauce and what not.

Old Friends

Actually this picture was taken on Aug. 17 2003, the last time that I was home for an extended period of time. All the old gang and families from my high school and college days and all connected with the Shelby Church of God. We all gathered at the Barndollar's house and had a great afternoon.

I remember first moving to Shelby and my closest friends soon became; Tom, Lynn, and Juan. Tom and I shared many strange and rather wild adventures, I remember having a doggie poo fight fling poo at each other in his back yard. I remember one summer trying to make a raft to float on the local pond. I don't think we ever succeded. And we were the founding members of the SD Har club. And for the life of me I don't remeber what it stood for, but it may have had something to do with skinny dipping.

After Tom and his family moved, Lynn and Juan still were my close buddies. Mostly because our families always spent a lot of time together. We formed the "Down by the Roadside Singers" after many evenings singing and playing around on the front lawn at Lynn's. Her house being way out in the country and the main road running past their house was the inpiration for the name. I also remember driving our car through the muddy lawn and leaving a big rut in the grass. It was all on Lynn's insistance that it was ok my parents do it all the time. I think they had to re-lanscape that little piece of the lawn though.

Fond memories of friends from the past. I don't here from them or see them that often, but when I do it is pure joy. I remember the last time I saw Tom and his family, his son told him that he sure had some cool friends.

Felix

Japan is the land of cute characters. For the most part I don't get into all the little collections, but I do remember this cute little guy from when I was in Kobe and he was still popular and you could buy all kinds of goods in of course black and white that either came in his likeness of bore his likeness. I really don't remember the cartoon so well but the theme song still sticks with me, "Felix the cat, the wonderful, wonderful cat." Who is your favorite character?

Dance

This is the very first part of the piece with Hayashi san's dance.

Second Half

Finale

Drum Recital

As I mentioned earlier we had our big drum recital yesterday. It went really well and I think my group has come a long way from five years ago. Shige said that when he saw us last time he wasn't too impressed but that this time was a different story.

This picture was taken after at the party. Of course my group had to have a little skit and we at the end we had the whole room up and dancing to YMCA. It was too funny. Even the guest artist, one of Japan's top class shamisen players, was up and dancing with our group. There was another group up after us and at the end they conceded that they were again outdone by us.

Poo

Connie, this one is for you. Where but in Japan would someone come up with a poo wig? And as with many of these things I have to try it on, and all my friends say it looks good on you.

昇

Just got back from a long day at my drum teachers 10th anniversary drum performance. These are the cream of the crop, but I have to admit that I think that Nagihana, my group was one of the better if not the top performance of the day. Rach took a video and as soon as I get it from her it's going on youtube.

Bonsai

I'm always amazed at what the Japanese can do with bonsai. This picture was taken last year at Heiwa Kinen Koen in Tachikawa. They have a very nice display of bonsai. What is interesting to me is some of them can be up to 300 years old. And just think I am proud of my Jade tree that I have had for 10 years.

WHAT TEACHERS MAKE

I don't know if I always feel like I accomplish all of these things, but there is a lot of truth to this story, and it also say something about the plight of so many underpaid teachers in the states. Luckily in Japan that is not an issue.

WHAT TEACHERS MAKE

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"
He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers:
"Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach"

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"
Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You
want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began.)

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube, or movie rental.

You want to know what I make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)

"I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them criticize.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

I make my students stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, because we live in the United States of America!

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life."

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)
"Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant.

You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make?"

THIS IS WORTH SENDING TO EVERY TEACHER YOU KNOW.
(And everyone on your mailing list, for that matter).

THERE IS MUCH TRUTH IN THIS STATEMENT: "Teachers make every other profession."
Michelle Smith
Tecumseh High School

Hot spring

This was taken a couple of years ago on a trip to Shichimi onsen, this place wasn't open when I was there but it is obvious that they have a lot of thermal water. The place that we stayed at was very nice and I found out on my second visit with Susan that the Tanuki's come and visit the inn. In fact Susan said they came by the bath when she was getting out.

Choco Bear

I received this cute little choclate a little late and I didn't get around to opening it until last night but it brought a smile to my face. Just goes to show you how cute things in Japan can be sometimes.

Green Stairs

These steps are in Kamakura I forget at which temple but I thought ther were really cool. And if you couldn't tell they aren't used anymore, you have to walk around. I guess they want everyone to enjoy the beauty of the moss.

Last Week

We are now into the last week of classes and I am so happy. Why is it that I can't wait for another vacation? I would like to get away this spring but it is still hard to say. Hopefully the tennis coach will come back early and I will be able to escape any responsibility for the tennis team. I hope it is not just a dream.

Surviving a Cold

Haven't posted this week mostly because by the time I have gotten home I just wanted to go to bed. I have been fighting a cold or sinus or something not sure exactly but it has beeen exhausting. I think I'll run to the Dr. this morning and see if he can't do anything for me.

I really enjoy looking at blogs rather than reading, so for those of you like me here is this weeks view of Japan.

Mini Gardening

So on the way home last night we ran across this cool little flower shop and I picked up 3 of these cute little plants, but I wasn't satisfied with the results so I went out and found 6 more rearranged everything so now I have two nice arrangements. Well actually 4 I just didn' take pictures of the other two small ones.

Hadaka Matsuri

This is one of the 3 biggest "naked festivals" in Japan. I went there 3 years ago. It takes place in Okayama on the 3rd Sat. of February in the middle of the night.


This photo was taken just before midnight, right before the main event. Before they get to this point they run around the temple grounds and through a pool of water.


Then at midnight they turn off all the lights and they drop down a phallic symbol into the crowd and they all scramble to get the prize and gain good luck for the coming year.

If anyone is bored this coming weekend you might want to check it out, with the weather being so nice recently you probably won't freeze your butt off.

On a side note, it is interesting that in many festivals in Japan the standard attire often includes the fundoshi or in this case just the fundoshi. Once a Japanese pastor said to me that maybe when Japanese men were baptized they should wear a fundoshi. Interesting thought that I don't think anyone has ever followed through with given how much Japanese Christians often tend to throw out most things that would have any similarities to anything of traditional Japanese culture.

Zest

Had a nice evening out at Zest in Setagaya. I had beef jambalaya, it was eat your lips off fantastic, and filled with so delicious jalapeno peppers. I think that I am going to have to make this one of me haunts.

On the way there we stumbled on great street performers outside of Mizonokuchi Station. They were three guys but they were called 4hollerz, go figure.

Dangerous Roads

Got a link to a page listing the most dangerous roads in the world and how cool is it that I have been on this one, the road through Taroko Gorge in Taiwan.

Actually this section of the road is rather tame, it is the road leading up to this beautiful area that I remember. Susan, Summer and I went there on a local bus. At one point along the load we were stopped by a landslide, not one that had happened, but one that happened right before our eyes. I remember seeing this huge boulder thundering down the mountain and taking out a tree on it's way down. We amused ourselves on the bus for the next couple of hours playing cards with the bus driver and after they had somewhat cleared the road we were allowed to proceed over very loose gravel and rocks. I think I will never forget that experience.

Friends

Had a really nice evening out with a former student, but more importantly a good friend. It was nice to spend an evening all in English too. As I think about it my time in Chiba really produced some strong friendships that have lasted over time. The kind of friendships where even if you haven't seen each other for a long while, it seems just like yesterday, and you pick up where you left off. I think tonight I came to the realization of how blest I am to have friendships like these.

Travel

This is the last one of the They Walk Among Us series, I will have to see if I can think up some of my own now.

I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area, so I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. "Now," she asked me, "has your plane arrived yet?" They Walk Among Us!

Piercing

I was hanging out with a friend when we saw a woman with a nose ring attached to an earring by a chain. My friend said, "Wouldn't the chain rip out every time she turned her head?" I explained that a person's nose and ear remain the same distance apart no matter which way the head is turned. They Walk Among Us!

Hungry?

These guys were pretty hungry and they were just swarming to get something to eat. Believe me the photo really doesn't do the scene justice but I think you get the idea. This was taken in Aizuwakamatsu a while back.

Discount

My friends and I were on a beer run and noticed that the cases were discounted 10%. Since it was a big party, we bought 2 cases. The cashier multiplied 2 times 10% and gave us a 20% discount. They Walk Among Us!

Save yourself

My sister has a lifesaving tool in her car designed to cut through a seat belt if she gets trapped. She keeps it in the trunk. They Walk Among Us!

Sunburn

My colleague and I were eating our lunch in our cafeteria, when we overheard one of the administrative assistants talking about the sunburn she got on her weekend drive to the shore. She drove down in a convertible, but "didn't think she'd get sunburned because the car was moving." They Walk Among Us!

On another note, a curious thing that I have noted in Japan is peoplewith convertible sports cars driving in the middle of the winter with their tops down. I mean hat and glove weather, not just a cool day. Go figure, they drive among us too.

Lt. Watada speaks out

I don't consider myself a political activist, but I think that what Lt. Watada has to say is very important and something that we all need to hear. Lt. Watada's speech.

And here is some background, taken from The Berkley Daily Planet, Commentary: Molly Ivins Tribute: Supporting Watada By Ying Lee

Lt. Watada, is the first U.S. Army officer to refuse to serve in Iraq. He enlisted in patriotic firmness after 9/11. Over his mother’s protests, he insisted that he did the right thing. His military superiors consider him to be exemplary as an officer, “a leader of men” and told him that he would have a bright future in the Army. While stationed in Korea, his superior officer told him that he would undoubtedly be posted in Iraq, and as a good officer, he should learn everything about the country to which he was to be sent. And he studied. In the process, he learned that the attack was based on lies told by the Bush administration: that there were no weapons of mass destruction and that there was no connection between the attacks on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and wherever the downed plane in Pennsylvania was approaching and Iraq.
Watada was also aware of the Nuremberg Principles that essentially places responsibility on the individual, even if that person is the head of state, or a member of the military, to not obey orders that violate international law.
He tried to resign three times (an officer submits his resignation to the president) and was denied each time. He is now court-martialed in Ft. Lewis, Washington facing four counts: two for missing troop movement and two for criticizing the president. Two other speech counts, which depended on the testimony of freelance journalists Sarah Olson and Star Bulletin’s Gregg Kakesako, were dropped when other journalists joined in defending freedom of the press.
Watada is a young man (27) with extraordinary clarity about his moral responsibility and I am grateful for his principled and clearly articulated thoughts about his obligation to defend the Constitution, the U.N. Charter, and the Nuremberg Principles, He said, in talking to a roomful of veterans: “...that to stop an illegal war and unjust war, the soldiers can choose to stop fight it.”

Time Zones

Maybe this person lived in China where there are no time zones and the whole country is on Beijing time, making people in the outer regions of the country to live dual time. One time that is realistic and one that follows the govt. line.

"I used to work in technical support for a 24/7 call center. One day I got a call from an individual who asked what hours the call center was open. I told him, "The number you dialed is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." He responded, "Is that Eastern or Pacific time?" Wanting to end the call quickly, I said, "Uh, Pacific." They Walk Among Us!"

I'm not listening

For Connie who posted about the numerous people that she has encountered in Japan, the next time you run into this situation try this.

I know that I have wanted to do this sometimes.

Directions

So glad I got my new curtains so the sun doesn't wake me up.

"While looking at a house, my brother asked the real estate agent which direction was north because, he explained, he didn't want the sun waking him up every morning. She asked, "Does the sun rise in the north?" When my brother explained that the sun rises in the east, and has for sometime, she shook her head and said, "Oh, I don't keep up with that stuff." They Walk Among Us!!"

Pizza

Seeing as tonight is my weekly pizza diner at the Shimada's, I think this is appropriate.

While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6. He thought about it for some time before responding. "Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6 pieces." Yep, They Walk Among Us!

Dead Birds

One day I was walking down the beach with some friends when one of them shouted, "Look at that dead bird!" Someone looked up at the sky and said, "Where?" They Walk among us!

Takaragawa Onsen

One of my favorite bathing spots.

Refrigerator

I think these stories are great.

A friend of mine bought a new fridge for his house. To get rid of his old fridge, he put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it saying: "Free to good home. You want it, you take it." For three days the fridge sat there without even one person looking twice at it. My friend decided that people were too untrusting of this deal. It looked too good to be true, so he changed the sign to read: "Fridge for sale $50." The next day someone stole it. They walk among us.

They Walk Among Us

Got an interesting mail from Roger and thought they would make good reading.
I will be posting them over the next few days. Enjoy!

I walked into a Blimpie's with a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for a sandwich. I handed it to the girl and she looked over at a little chalkboard that said "buy one-get one free". "They're already buy-one-get-one-free", she said, "so I guess they're both free". She handed me my free sandwiches and I walked out the door. They walk among us and many work retail.

Hey, I used to work retail.

Mt. Fuji

View of Mt. Fuji from IzuOne nice thing about winter is that if I get to leave work early enough I can see Fuji on my way home as I cross the Tama river.

Juken

Today was the second day of our entrance test. 224 students sat for the first test and there were over 300 today. As of this morning around 50 students had signed up for enrolment. Now today they have to figure out how many more students to accept to meet our target number of students. They have it worked down to a science and they are usually fairly on target, although the last few years we have passed our enrolment numbers.

Today is also Setsubun, which marks the end of winter and the New Year of the lunar calendar. There are bean throwing ceremonies all over Japan on this day to welcome in good fortune and to get rid of all the misfortune.

So if you see anyone looking like this and carrying this bax of beans don't be too worried.