Wow, can't believe the last time I wrote was about a week ago...at any rate today is DAY 2 I leave tomorrow!!!! Yeah!!! I have everything in place. I have my bus ticket to Narita. I confirmed my flight home. I have Christmas cards in the mail and Christmas gifts in my suitcase.Got money in my pocket and I'm ready to be on American soil for the first time in almost 5 months. Yippee!

Another bit of good news is I got my ISDN hookup this morning. That means two major things...#1. My phone bill will be much much lower!!! #2 I can be online all day long and it doesn't tie up my phone line! I'm siked about that! It took them about 2.5 hours to set it up on my computer because it was all in English and of course most of the people couldn't understand the words, but alas, they worked it out and now I got tha' hook up.Holla if ya hear me! LOL

Anyway, I'm feeling a bit delirious. And hungry, my lunch wasn't good today. I'm going to wash my hair and shower t'nite. Then go into Kofu to have drinks with Sanae and my Japanese friend crew for the last time before I leave. This break is going to probably help me make up my decision on whether to stay or leave. I have a meeting with Dr. Frierson on Friday which I'm looking forward to. I believe it will be productive. Wish me luck Diary-san.

Matta Rai nen!

Priceless...
$500 Village office window
$180/day Kamiku Teacher pay
$40/day heat in the BOE office
$2 spilled coffee on the desk
Spilling my morning coffee, while watching a baby bird fly top speed into a closed window at the opposite end of the office...PRICELESS.

The best thing about being in Japan...
I don't have to look at George Bush's ugly face scouring all over my freakin' TV screen. I don't think I've ever seen a human being that makes my flesh crawl like that man. I mean, I sit here on Monday nights and I watch Dark Angel and they have all types of weird genetically engineered "humans". Josh-who is half man half dog, a weird 1/2 panther 1/2 woman, this other dude who had all this puss and blood streaming out the side of his deformed face and honestly nothing makes my breakfast, lunch and dinner want to resurge from my bowels back up into my throat like the site of this man. I just feeling like "putting him in 8 headlocks" and "throwin' his face in the garbage". (courtesy of Cam'ron).

I hate reading about this US "war on terror". I hate reading about how arrogant our government is because we back that retarded ass "Dubya" with all his cowboyish tactics and bullying of people. I hate reading how much our economy sucks and how we really rely on our foreign investments to cover our asses on a daily basis. I wish some people knew how it was do without. I wish for one day the rich could be dirt fuckin' poor and the homeless/freezing folks could have lobster and steak for lunch, eat off genuine silverware, and dress themselves in the finest of fine or whatever else they please...just for a day. I wish that all the people out there who want to fire the Chancellor of UNC because of a poor decision he made AND ADMITTED too would take a chill pill are realize that our public figures are not these ideal unfuckupable people we expect them to be. Its like Erykah Badu tried to explain..."I cry when I'm sad, I get hungry when I'm hungry, I miss my momma when I'm away" People need to realize that we are all people for goodness sake and stop acting like they've never done anything wrong. Eminem tried to tell people that this song he has with Jay Z called "Renegade". Well, if you didn't hear him the first time, listen up good this time:

Maybe it's beautiful music
I made for you
To just cherish
But I'm debated disputed hated
And viewed in America
As a motherf***in' drug addict
Like you didn't experiment?
Now now, that's when
You start to stare at
Who's in the mirror
And see yourself
As a kid again
And you get embarrased
And I got nothin' to do
But make you look
Stupid as parents
You f***in' do-gooders
Too bad you couldn't
Do good at marriage
(Ha ha)
And do you
Have any clue
What I had to do
To get here?
I don't think you do
So stay tuned and
Keep your ears
Glued to the stereo

Well I guess he told YOU!!!

Snow Day...to omoimasu
It was beautiful...I was on my way home from a wonderful evening at The Muramatsu's House (my Japanese teacher and her family) and in Kofu it was raining. I started ascending the mountain and singing to whatever was playing on the radio and the rain started to get bigger. I wasn't sure but it looked like sleet or could it be snow? Its not even cold enough for snow? But none the less it was and the further up the mountain I got the more snow fell. I got to the other side of the tunnel that leads to Kamiku and it was so beautiful, I had to hurry and get home though, because I still didn't have any snow tires on my car but by this time the roads were still very wet and not snowy or icy.

This morning when I woke up it was gorgeous!! Nothing like waking up to a beautiful snow that hasn't been touched by the world. The trees were so beautiful and covered with snow it was just like something out of a story book that you wake up to on Christmas morning. Well anyway, my JTE called me first thing and said "Since its still snowing RTE 358 is closed so I'll call to see if we have school today" Well I never recieved a call so I just slept! I woke up around 9:30 and called a friend in the states. I emailed Erica and was like "Snow Day! Yippee!" Then started moving around to get my day started, made breakfast and then got a call. It was the Music teacher...who only speaks Japanese and of course I didn't understand the whole conversation only bits and pieces. Then about 10 mins later my JTE called and asked did I have the snow tires on yet. I said no, not yet. She said she'd tell the prinicipal. She called back 5 mins later and said, "Ichinose sensei will be at your house very soon to pick you up. Meet her at the BOE office." I was shocked! So, I hurried up and got dressed and as soon as I pulled on my pants and finished packing my bag...the car pulled up in front of my house.

On the way up the mountain to school what usually takes me about 8 minutes took about 20. I'm kinda worried about driving it by myself. I'm already scary driving with these crazy drivers but add snow and once it gets dark ice and we got some conditions that I don't want to be around for. I was supposed to have a dentist appt today but I had to reschedule because of all the snow. So once I got to school it was already 4th period and I'd missed English class for the day. It was okay because I thought I was having a snow day and didn't want to deal with teaching. Today I have to take the bus home with the students and tomorrow I will ride with them too. Its fine with me because I don't have to use my gas and I don't have to brave the slippery roads.

Japanese News in Brief
In Tokyo Japan, a senior officer for the Metropolitan PD has been arrested and charged with Statutory rape. This 56 year old man has been charged with having sex with a 15 year old girl since September of this year. He admits to the charge and was dishonorably discharged from his position on Thursday of this week. Here's the kicker... the child molester worked for the division of the PD that deals with cracking down on child pornography and cases involving sex with minors. The idiot met the child in February through another case he was involved in!

Also in Japan, probably not far from the first case lies yet another interesting piece of news. A 53 year old woman is charged with the murder of her husband. Reports say that her sickly husband and recently returned from the hospital after having a stroke. He could walk but was not able to speak or proceed with normal everyday functions very easily. The woman tied him up to a pole in the front yard with a dog chain and leash and left him there to die. After the man had toiled with the chain trying to get loose he managed to strangle himself by wrapping the chain around his neck 3 good times. His wife then calls the police and says "help, I think my husband may be dead".
When the police arrived she admitted to doing it.

Now, these two cases could have happened in America but it would have been a little different. The first thing I noticed is that both of these folks committed some pretty hanous crimes, but decided to just tell the truth about it. That baffles me! If you are going to kill someone and sleep with a baby...why not lie too? Its very strange but most of the articles I read about crime in Japan, they have no problems figuring out who did the shit because they damn offenders tell on themselves.

Aiight, so last night must have been the worst I've slept in my entire life! On top of the "pain killers" that the doctor here gave me which might as well have been children's chewable vitamins, I took some ibuprofen that I brought with me, had an ice pack on the tooth, plus drunk damn near a half bottle of wine and I was STILL in pain. Damn near delirious, but in pain none the less. I was so happy when morning finally came and I could begin preparing for the day to take my mind off the pain slightly.

My dentist appt was at 11. When I got there I told her all about the problems I'd been having, and she proceeded to remove the temporary filling. Once she did I could feel the gushing of the blood and puss that was coming out of my tooth. It was just as disgusting as it sounds. She said the problem was that she was trying to get puss to come out through a tiny whole she had made in the tooth but that didn't work so the only other way is to leave the tooth all the way open, which is what she has done. She gave another load of antibotics to take and told me to take 2 pills at a time to try to ease the pain so I'm taking all of them 3 times a day with my meals. This afternoon was pretty good and I can feel the throbbing but not any pain. I hope it continues to be this good but its really no judge because the pain is always gone after the first day. I go back on Monday and I think I'm going to have one more visit before I leave for the US. I pray this thing hurries to heal because being in the states with a toothache is the LAST thing I need.

I also went to the police station with Sanae to pay my ticket and get the big yellow ticket taken off my car. Before I took it off though, I did take a picture of it. Well anyway it was so funny when we were in the office. The guy kept flipping through my international drivers license which is all in English and he of course doesn't understand English. I mean he must have looked thru the thing like 5 or 6 times in the 15 minutes we were in there like he was diligently looking for something.

Then he and Sanae commence to having this conversation:

Officer: Can we call her if we have any more questions?

Sanae: "Of course".

Officer: "But, does she understand Japanese on the phone..."

Sanae: "No, but didn't you tell me you have an officer here who can speak English?"

Officer: "Oh, Yes we do."

Sanae: "Then why don't you get him to call?"

Officer: "Oh, that's a good idea!"

WTF!!!! This country boy I swear!

Diary-san I have yet another toothache. Today's was hella bad. I was at the Elementary school today and of course the students were being kids and being loud and I really felt like running out of the classroom getting in my car and driving far far away, but that would have probably lost me my job. I stuck it out and left right after lunch to return to the Junior High in hopes of getting a little peace and quiet but no luck. So I went for the next best thing. I searched my desk for some of that strong ibuprofen I brought with me illegally from the US, asked the nurse for an ice pack, took the pill and fell asleep on my desk with my face on the back for about an hour. RELIEF! The only bad thing is my dentist appt isn't until Friday so I have to tough out all of tonight and tomorrow. Its not so bad when I don' t have to talk much but when I am teaching its killer. I have to administer a listening exam tomorrow but after that I don't have to do anything so that's a blessing. Komatana! The last thing I'm worrying about is eating. I'm so freakin' hungry right now! I have to try to find something filling that I don't have to chew. I lose weight so quick when I'm not eating and that is the LAST thing I want to do. My mom is going to think I'm starving over here!

I'm working on this Kwanzaa lesson with Keysha. She's going to come up to my school on the 16th with me and teach. She's thinking of a dance we can teach them and I'll do my debut on my guitar with a song I'm making up for Kwanzaa to help them remember the principles. Yes, I am going to play my guitar. Yes I am going to make up a song. I know it will probably be 3 chords over and over again, but hey, its a start. I've been slack at practicing it because I've been either busy or had other things to work on like my Japanese studies but my new years resolution is to learn at least the major chords and their progressions as well as a few minor chords. I want to go back to Dustyn and see if he can teach me because I see that doing it on my own and not having a steady lesson set or teacher is not the most productive way for me to hold my self accountable to practicing. I have exactly 1 week and a half to perfect this song I'm thinking of so wish me luck...

tokoro de, today is DAY 14. "Houston, we've hit the two week mark!" Wait, let me not even MENTION the name Houston in light of the Whitney story that has just come out...I'll save that any my other news brief updates for later this evening or tomorrow's post.

Oh diary, dear diary its Day 15 and boy do I have some stuff to tell you...where do I begin...I guess chronologically is best so here goes:

I went to Kofu yesterday to have dinner with Sanae and her friend Hiromi. The plan for the night was have dinner, watch the Craig David DVD, and braid Hiromi's hair. The latter two would be happening simulanteously. So no problems there. The video was WONDERFUL!!! It's a shame that boy is only 21 cause he could get it. Hiromi's hair ended up really good. She liked it. So we left the bar (its small family owned sports bar that Sanae knows the owner so he was cool w/the braiding) and everyone went their on separate ways home...only I was surprised thoroughly when I reached my car which was parked on the side of the street and it had a huge plastic tag attached to my driverside mirror. The tag was locked and had some Japanese kanji that I couldn't read and therefore didn't understand. I called Sanae to see if she knew what it was and alas, it was a parking ticket. I was even more surprised when I found out that's what it was because I PARK IN THE SAME PLACE EVERYTIME I GO TO KOFU! That doesn't matter to Japanese folks. Ignorance doesn't matter, crying, pleading, having a baby, hemorraging, running out of gas, none of that matters. I have to go down to the police station to have them remove this fuckin' tag off my window and pay 15,000yen ($150) at the time of removal. Ain't that some shit!

Okay, so I live in a building with 3 teachers I work with and they go to work before me because they have to be there earlier. Why does everyone at the school the BOE and I'm sure the milkman and postman too know about this ticket before I get to work at 8:30am. The first thing the school secretary says to me is, "ichi man go sen yen" which means 15,000yen. Its crazy, I'm like damn can I tell my own business...the Vice Principal wanted to know where I got the ticket and tell me about how my predecessor did the same thing. I am of course the laughing stock of the office, but I'd rather them be laughing heartly then fussing. Fussing, I just can't take.

So, then I get a call to the Junior High saying that the garbage wasn't picked up at our apartment today because I left my raw food trash in with the rest of the trash...these people are crazy anal!!! I guess the machine's won't process raw trash, but I was so surprised when they told me that our trash would not be picked up at our apartment because I put some orange peels in with the rest of my trash. wow...

The WORD according to Ms. E

#1. There is a report from Sports Illustrated that they have a number one ranked 5th grade student in basketball. The article talks about why in the world is anyone ranking elementary school students but alas they are and I along with this sports writer am amazed at how far we really let this recruitment and trying to be the best thing go…only to let kids down when they get hurt or something when there should really be no pressure at age 12 about making it into the NBA…so sad.

#2. There is a group of Iraqi rebels called the Kurds. The live in the northern part of Iraq. The are willing and ready to participate with the US to overthrow Sadaam if needbe. They have male and female troops. They practice for hours and hours everyday and are the most organized troops in Iraq other than the Iraqi army…but there is a catch. They don’t use bullets! “we train, we aim, but we can’t afford to waste the bullets” WTF!!! I’m going to leave that right there

#3. United air is in the midst of this huge “I’m about to go into bankruptcy” thing. Yesterday the flight attendants agreed to take a pay reduction in order to keep this “employee owned” airline in the skies. The only hold out now is the mechanics. The airline wants them to take a $600 million pay cut and the mechanics are basically like, get the fuck outta here with that. Well right now if they don’t come around after the flight attendants sacrifice, the airline is almost sure to drown with a $7 million a day loss because of people not flying…This concerns me greatly because I am flying United HOME!! When Midway collapsed, I had a flight with them too and they just switched me to a USAir flight. That may not be as easy to do with a International flight, but I hope what ever the fuck they do they get their shit together before Dec. 18th. That’s all I gotta say about that.

The WORD according to Ms. E

#1. There is a report from Sports Illustrated that they have a number one ranked 5th grade student in basketball. The article talks about why in the world is anyone ranking elementary school students but alas they are and I along with this sports writer am amazed at how far we really let this recruitment and trying to be the best thing go…only to let kids down when they get hurt or something when there should really be no pressure at age 12 about making it into the NBA…so sad.

#2. There is a group of Iraqi rebels called the Kurds. The live in the northern part of Iraq. The are willing and ready to participate with the US to overthrow Sadaam if needbe. They have male and female troops. They practice for hours and hours everyday and are the most organized troops in Iraq other than the Iraqi army…but there is a catch. They don’t use bullets! “we train, we aim, but we can’t afford to waste the bullets” WTF!!! I’m going to leave that right there

#3. United air is in the midst of this huge “I’m about to go into bankruptcy” thing. Yesterday the flight attendants agreed to take a pay reduction in order to keep this “employee owned” airline in the skies. The only hold out now is the mechanics. The airline wants them to take a $600 million pay cut and the mechanics are basically like, get the fuck outta here with that. Well right now if they don’t come around after the flight attendants sacrifice, the airline is almost sure to drown with a $7 million a day loss because of people not flying…This concerns me greatly because I am flying United HOME!! When Midway collapsed, I had a flight with them too and they just switched me to a USAir flight. That may not be as easy to do with a International flight, but I hope what ever the fuck they do they get their shit together before Dec. 18th. That’s all I gotta say about that.

I have once again spent my entire Sunday in bed. Half sleeping/half reading, but none the less in bed. I actually made two calls today that really made those two people's day. It felt so good to hear my friend say "Its so glad to hear your voice, I've had a terrible day today". We are now on Day 17 of the countdown. I was looking into rental cars for when I get home and my friend was right it was so cheap for weekly rental. The days I put in they said it would be $116.00 for the whole week! That's excellent. I'm going to look further into that because it will be a blessing to have wheels knowing how much of a busy body I am.

Of course I have things I should be doing but laying in bed after running around all week is so relaxing! Alas, duty and my hungry stomach call...

Tonight I had yet another wonderful Thankgiving-esque dinner. This time it was at Hazel and Terry's (which for some reason I always say Tazel and Harry...my brain just can't get it right). Hazel ended up doing most of the cooking. I didn' t know that or I would have tried to whip something else up. I thought more of the guys would bring stuff but of course, all they brought was beer. Our evening was supposed to begin around 4:30, but I was delayed because I was trying to hurry up and finish E. Lynn Harris' book "Any Way The Wind Blows" before I left home. It ended up taking longer than I thought and I missed Hazel's phone call to get down there soon because she was in a house full of men (including her husband of course) who were talking about football and all sorts of random things that she was not interested in. I hurried to finish the book as well as the pasta dish I'd prepared (which surprisingly got rave reviews) so I could go rescue her.

Ya know, Hazel looks so much like my Aunt Connie its funny. Well she doesn't look like her all the time, its the facial expressions etc. that really get me. Hazel's 34 and really feels like a big sister to me. I've actually met a few people like that here. Its really good to have since my sister and I aren't very close.

Hazel made corn on the cob, beans and rice, mashed potatoes (fresh, not boxed) and 3 pies: sweet potato, pumpkin, and apple. Those pies really took me back home. She baked marshmellows on top of the sweet potato pie and I was really looking around for somebody's mama so I could slap her! (sorority joke) Hazel's a really great cook and since she and Terry are totally vegetarian I always get really healthy meals when I'm at their place.

Tonight, I had a sit down with a guy who I usually ignore because half of the words out of his mouth are ignorant. He seems like a nice enough guy but he is young (just turned 22) and immature. Look at me calling someone young at 22, but its not his age, its his mind. I generally just have small talk with him because he is cool, but nothing deep because I don't like feeling like I have to be the spokesperson for Black people or explain my life and how I am to him. He always asks dumb questions about ethnicity and stuff and I just get tired of explaining so sometimes...I just don't deal with it. In life, here are some people who don't understand things (no specific thing, just things in general) but they kind of go with the flow and try to get in where they fit in. They figure it out the best way they know how or they wait until a more appropriate time to approach the subject. Not this young cat! What gets me most is that people dismiss what he says with "That's just because he's young". I am a true believer in the fact that we make allowances for people to remain how they are. By constantly giving them the "she's/he's just like that" out...we hurt them as much as their ignorance bothers us. I refuse to do that but for so long and their has to come a time, when everyone should not have to change because of one person and that person should start learning how to be a chameleon based on their situation.

So anyway (as I step down off my soapbox) we sat and talked tonight and a lot of what he said helped me to put together pieces of why he is the way he is. We are alike in a lot of ways but still very different. It was just good to see a side of him existed that didn't involve him trying to keep up with the dozens and be like "the boys". He gets caught up in trying to fit in with the other guys who seem to have an ongoing game of "Who's line is it anyway?" trying to be quickest to say something smart or witty. If he would just be a little more confident in himself then maybe he'd find out who "himself" really is. I think he's looking but he'll never find him while he's trying to be them.

I started reading Sue's book, "The Unbearable Lightness of Being. And in an oxymoronic way, this book is anything BUT light. I said I was going to try to do some light bedtime reading but its actually quite heavy...but coming off the Potter Series and E. Lynn this is going to be an interesting ride. I read 4 books this week that contained a combined total of 1,460 pages. I have a feeling, that even if I give it my all I won't finish this one book (311pgs) this week. But I will do my best. Wow, 1,460! I didn't realize it was that many...I promise you if any of them would have been for a class in undergrad I probably wouldn't have read them just out of principle...I was really a terrible student...but life has its way of making you a great pupil doesn't it...I digress, as usual.

Oyasuminasai! Ganbarimasu!

Thanksgiving night. A night I initially started to spend alone with some fried chicken and a bowl of macaroni...but boy am I glad I didn't. I got an invite to go have dinner with some of my favorite folks here in Yamanashi who I rarely get to hang with so I was really happy! Sue had about 8 of us over to her place. I drove to Fujiyoshida to meet Chris, Sylvia, and Ollie. Then we met, Elise, Rob, Dave and Sue at her house. It was a lot of fun. It was potluck dinner so everyone brought something or made something pretty tasty. Sue made pumpkin squash with cinnamon apples inside. Which was surprisingly good. Chris and Sylvia made perogies w/Japanese sweet potato inside and brought some mashed potatoes with them. Sylvia also made this DELICIOUS apple/cranberry sauce which tasted a lot like apple butter. I brought my special, from the box with a little addition, macaroni and cheese. Elise and Rob made brownies and a big pot of a differnt type of potatoes. We had white rice as well and Dave and Ollie brought drinks.Oh Sue also made a pumpkin pie like filling for a sponge cake which was also surprisingly good. It wasn't until after we'd finished that she told me she added TOFU to the mix, but...it was still really good. We listened to some of Elise and Rob's country music (they're both from the midwest) and I brought my Kenny G Christmas tape.
Sue had Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas CD and hella other great music. We sat, ate, and talked and then made a Thanksgiving toast using this Plum Wine which is strong and sweet. I really should hang with them more often. I borrowed a book from Sue and she made me a tape. I'm glad that Elise, Rob, Sylvia, and Chris are from the States because our friendship doesn't have to end here. Sue is from Canada and hey, now I have a reason to visit!

I was teaching my students today about Thanksgiving and I am really thankful that I didn't have to be alone tonight. God is good.

So its 2:50 in the morning on Thursday (but in my mind its still Wednesday because I have not gone to bed yet) and I'm just getting in from the Earth Wind and Fire concert in Tokyo. Boy did I have a good time. I can't wait to tell my Uncle Derek. He's going to be sooo jealous. I know he has just about every album they every released (i'm talking vinyl here) but I wonder if he's seen them perform live before. At any rate, it was a heck of a trip to Tokyo (during which I finished Harry Potter book 3). The skies were so clear and it nice outside. Once I arrived at Tokyo station I took a cab up the block (not even a full block) to the concert hall with the cabby fussing the whole way about how a probably lost him a decent fair driving not even a kilometer up the block. I told him in the worst Japanese I could muster that I was paying him, I didn't know where the hall was ( I really didn't) and that he would be alright. He was asking why I didn't ask someone on the street for directions. I told him that "over there" wasn't the best of directions, cause that's all I got on the street. He was pissed when I got out but like I said, he'd be alright.

Okay so once I arrive at the concert Hall, there of course is a long line of people waiting to get upstairs. But its 6:45 at this point and the show is supposed to start at 7...to make a long irriating story short, I cut line (I refused to stand in that long ass line and I was by myself), walked past the security and took my seat. The show didn't start until 8. Although, I sat pissed about the show running late (which meant I'd have to take a later train) boy did all those feelings of resentment flood away when they took the stage. I now know that I am the granny that Erica always calls me! Verdine White the bass player was so energetic I felt like he was on a lil' something, Phillip Bailey's voice was out of this WORLD, he is the voice of EWF now. Maurice White, well he was okay but definitely looking old. He wore these really cute white and green ADIDAS with some white silk pants and changed his top all of which were extremely form fitting. Do I dare say it...well, I think the reason he doesn't tour with them as much anymore is because he is just getting to old to keep it up. EWF has been around a longgggg time. And he founded the group so I don't blame him, but its definitely starting to show. Oh then there's lil' Ralph Johnson who I almost wouldn't have known was there except for the fact he kept dancing with the dancing girls on stage. It was fun! OH, I didn't mention that about 30mins in I was taking pictures, with a camera I wasn't supposed to even have and got caught by a security guard. I got a good 3 in before they caught me though. So I hope those turn out pretty good. On they way out I saw something I had to capture on film. There was a group of 3 Japanese guys dressed in 70's clothes. One had an enormous afro wig on and a disco ball necklace. They looked shocked but I asked if I could take their picture. Immediately one guy ushered me in the middle and 2 of them were around me and the third took the photo. Can't wait to see that one either.

Well, a great end to a wonderful night. I took the 11:50 train home from Tokyo arriving in Kofu at 2:00am. Drove 30mins up the mountain to my place and am now home at last. My room as finally warmed up with the help of both the kerosene and electric heaters..so I shall now brave the cold kitchen, cross over to the bathroom area, take out my contacts, brush my teeth and dream about "Space Fantasy" "Boogie Wonderland" and how Verdine White should really start thinking of new wardrobe tips! His fashion sense never really.....it never really....came all the way OVER (lol @ Bernie Mack). G'nite kind people.

I've finished the second Harry Potter book! It was like I really couldn't put it down and it reads so fast I was on page 300 before I knew it and with only 40pages left to go, I couldn't put it down for the night. I had to finish it. So I'm enjoying the series but I guess its like the movie Titanic for me. Everyone hyped it up so much that I'm expecting a lot more than there really is. Well at least I can go see the "Chamber of Secrets" movie in peace now that I've finished the book. I told Erica today that I have 7 books here that I want to read before I go home for Christmas and if I keep reading at the pace I'm going now, I think I'll be able to do just that. We'll just have to see. Off to bed now, and I hope that I don't have any Hogwarts dreams! (smile)

On Day 23 my task has been to come up with a Kwanzaa lesson that is easy enough for my students to understand. I have all levels of students. From K-9th grade bear in mind. So I fell like I'm almost working with 10 different lessons. I really want to teach my students this topic though, so I'm going to work really really hard on it. I'm not sure when I'll be able to teach it, but hopefully they will enjoy it.

Today I was also asked to be "Santa Claus" for a Christmas party that the Kindergardeners are having at Shoji Elementary. I think they are putting on a Christmas play and then I am supposed to be Santa and give out the toys. They also want me to sing some Christmas songs but that my dear, might be pushing it. Its 3 working days before I got home for the holidays so I might be in good spirits.

Being in my home all weekend, cooking normal food, watching US movies, and reading English books, I almost forgot where I was. The security of being home was really starting to fool me, but alas I have my Japanese language lesson today..and of course am about to do my homework now with about and hour and thirty minutes before class. Today is Day 24...I have a feeling that this is going to be a long countdown...

I finally finished Harry Potter book 1 today. I want to hurry up and read book 2 before I go home because I want to go to the movies and see that for our family Christmas movie. Every year we go to the theater on Christmas day. I think initially we did it because just to have something to do so we didn't have to sit in the house all day, but now its tradition and I really enjoy it. Now, back to Harry. I liked the book. I think I would have liked it better if I didn't see the movie because there weren't many things in the movie that weren't in the actual book. It makes me think much more of the movie and want to see it again because its rare to find a movie that captures oh so much of the book. So, now on to my next quest...Harry Potter Book 2. The Chamber of Secrets. It sounds a pretty interesting. I mentioned to one of my friends here that I wanted to read the series and she borrowed books 3 and 4 from one of her Japanese friends who has read them all. The Potter series is not one that I would want to hold on to the rest of my life, but it was enjoyable. I'm sure the children like it a little better. Wish me luck with finishing it in the next 24 days.

I know its not the big Turkey day yet, but I decided this weekend was my time to put up my Christmas decorations. I have a tree, some lights, garland, a few wreaths, and a (colored) Santa stocking. Oh, and I can't forget the handmade "Eboni's Home for the Holidays COUNTDOWN" calendar that I made which now hangs beautifully above my small tree. Today begins my official countdown with Day 25. Each night before bed, I'll go in the livingroom (I plan on moving my bed back into the bedroom when its sleepy time...good thing its on rollers) and tear off a numbered paper revealing the new number of days left before my return home. Erica calls it pressed, but I call it excitement and anticipation. Since she isn't going home for the holidays, she has notified me that she will be preparing a "wish list" of things that she wants me to bring back for her. This doesn't sound like a problem but I hope she doesn't get carried away with her requests.

Oh, news flash, I know its been a while since I've written on a regular bases so let me update you. My brother, Jon is getting married! Can you believe that! I know, he's still only 21, he'll be 22 on Dec 23, the day before his wedding. Yes, he is getting married on Christmas Eve. Mom and I had a conversation about the fact that I will probably be the Old Maid in the family (she didn't say that, actually she insists I won't) and how it feels as if this is the first wedding of all my siblings. Of the five of us, my older sister is already married but she ran off and did it like someone was going to stop her (go figure) so I didn't even know she was married until a few weeks later. At any rate, Jon's wedding is the first actually wedding of all of my mom's kids. Its really interesting to think of "fat boy" (what i called him all through is wonder years, even though he is about 6'7" now and no where near fat) is about to have a home and a wife. I commend Jennifer for sticking in there with him and I wish them the best of luck. I've missed so much of his life because we are so different and since I was 16 never really lived under the same roof for more thant 3 months, 4 at most. I told mom that I was trying to think of something Japanese-ish to bring back with me but I keep thinking of him as a child and that he'd tear it up. I have to put those thoughts out of my head because in a month he will be someone's husband. Wow, that's hard to believe.

The good thing is that all of my mom's family will be in NC for the holidays. My grandma (mom's mom) and all her children (mom and her siblings). Uncle Tom (the baby of the fam) and his wife Angelica will be there from Texas. Aunt Connie her husband Chuck and Connie's youngest boy Adam will be there. Connie's oldest boy Gerald and his fiance Jean will be there. Connie's oldest child and daughter Kathy will be there with her husband and 2 kids. And of course my mom and all my siblings should be around...I think my oldest brother Chris is coming up from Florida with his girlfriend and their new baby (who I don't know, I actually don't even know the mother or the babies name.

As I sit here and trace my family tree, I realize that a lot of interracial marriages/relationships are here. It seems to have been that way for a long time. Out of the 5 siblings my mom has, she is the only one who married a Black person. And of the 5 siblings I have, Robyn better NOT be dating, I'm the only one who dates Black people...well Caroll does too, but she dates just about whatever race. That's interesting. Not good or bad, just interesting. I'd never looked at it like that before. Its also cool that my grandmother isn't like most of the women I know from around her way in the south. Thinking that white people are trouble and that we shouldn't date outside our race. She's always been very welcoming to all of the people that her children and grandchildren have dated. That's what love is really all about.

Good ol' Vanceboro, North Carolina. God Bless you all.

You know you ghetto: when you move your bed into your livingroom because your bedroom is cold and doesn't have a tv.

You know you ghetto:when you drink red wine with fried chicken and don't see anything wrong with it until you friends point it out to you.

You know you ghetto:when put a pot of water on your kerosene heater to put some moisture in the air instead of investing in a room humidifier.

You know you ghetto: when you use a brown marker color in the face of the white Santa Claus on the Christmas stocking left by your predecesor because you don't think Santa is really white.

You know you ghetto: when you spend 3 hours on a Saturday afternoon trying to decipher 3 sentances of Japanese kanji so you can download Earth Wind and Fire's "Fantasy" "Boogie Wonderland" and "Let's Groove Tonight" as cellphone ringers!

You know you ghetto: when the only time you take out your kitchen garbage is when it starts to smell.

I hate to admit it, but I my dear, am GHETTO.

I bought my ticket home for Christmas today! It cost me a pretty penny but its worth it! I can't wait to see everyone. Its going to be weird doing that traveling by myself, but I'm excited!!! I've been trying to buy some Japanese traditional things to give folks but of course they are expensive. I have a Godchild to think about now, which won't be born until April, but still I gotta start getting her stuff...(okay I'm overly excited about the baby, sue me!)

It's going to be a busy visit home, but I'm looking forward to every moment of it. Yokatta Ne!

I'm sitting in my livingroom watching ABC Monday night football (a day late) and what do I hear when they break for commercial? "Its gettin' hot in here" by Nelly Wow, ain't the world changin'?

I talked to Trenya the other day, and we were talking about the idiom "The more things change, the more things stay the same" ain't that the truth! What made me think of that you ask? I'm watching Dre Bly on TV...this guy I went to school with for 2 years, who tried to holla at my linesisters, get down with da frat...and he is playing ball on Nat'l TV (or should I say International) married with a wife and child....but he's the same old nigga to me.

Well, I did it. I went to Tokyo this past weekend and got a perm! When I was in Yokohama last weekend, I met this girl named Tracey who lives on base down there. She recommended someone to me (Black chick) but she was book for the next 2 weekends, and you know me...when I decide that its time to do something, I need to do it right then or shortly thereafter. So, I called Tracey back and she gave me the info of this place in Tokyo that I should go. The owner is a guy named Mayo who is from NY but got family in Tarboro and Rocky Mt. (small freakin' world) He actually told me that he has a cousin named William Mayo that plays ball for UNC but I don't know that cat.

So I set up an appt for Saturday. I braided my hair up in cornrows after I made the appt so I didn't have to go around looking like a wild child for the rest of the week. It was cute too if I say so myself...anyway, I digress, as usual. So, when I get to this place its pretty nice, all the stylists except one are Japanese but have been to Atlanta and New York for training on how to do black hair and have a fair amount of black customers. The black girl who was in the shop was from St. Louis or something and kept acting like she wasn't happy to see me in there. I was kinda upset with her b/c you know me, its so rare I see black folks so I'm trying to be friendly and she is givin' me the cold shoulder so I was finally like "forget that hoe" and stopped talking to her...So I took out my braids and had them take a pic of my hair before they started the perm. The girl doing my hair was this Japanese girl named China (Chee-nah) and this guy helped her comb my hair (yes it took two of them to do it) and perm. My scalp is sooo sensitive so I'm glad they decided to do the tag team to get it in and out faster. After they did the perm they did this real nice washing job and then gave me a conditioner. She wrapped my head in plastic wrap and put me under this rotating heat lamp. It felt really really good. Then she washed my face with this hot towel and gave me a massage! It was THE BEST!!! Then she washed everything out and cut and blow dried my hair. I don't know if you've seen the new Mandi Moore hair cut, but its kinda like that. Its a few different lengths and I can wear it flipped or bob/wrapped. I have it flipped now. I am taking school pictures Tomorrow so I'll have some pictures of it to send soon. I can't wait to get my film developed so I can have some before and after photos!

So that's that. I couldn't deal with the natural any longer. The winter was getting much to cold to be washing as much as I was and it was a big hassle to try to braid or twist twice a week. That just takes up so much time. I'm very happy with my hair, I just hope I can keep it healthy and make it grow. I'm going to keep regular appts w/China. Probably once a month (that's regular for me!) to keep it cut and get that great wash and massage. It cost me $100 to get a perm wash and cut so I'm certainly looking for someone else that won't charge so much, but I'd rather have someone that knows what they are doing and pay $100 than pay $50 and come back to the states balding and pissed off!!!

Okay, so last weekend I went to Yokohama where there is Navy base. I went to a bunch of different places with 3 friends of mine and we had a ball. At night, we hung out at two different clubs. Here everything stays open until 5am because that's when the trains start running again and YES we stayed out that late, even though we were taking cabs not the train. Anyway, I met some cool black females and a whole bunch of black men. I met about 4 that I actually took their numbers and contacted once I got back home. One guy kinda stood out from the rest and was a little more pro-active about calling me and wanted me to come back down so I could hang out with him. He was nice enough (and I haven't had a date in months ) so I decided I would. And what a learning experience it was. His name is Karl.

So I arrived at the train station where he lives after being in Tokyo most of the day. I got my hair done (that's a letter for another email! but don't worry it looks great!) and met him down there at about 9pm. I had an overnight bag b/c I was going to stay with another friend of mine's family (from Yamanashi) that night. Do you know this negro didn't even offer to take my bag from me? I carried it all the way across the train station to the opposite side and he never mentioned it. First sign that this isn't going to be a good story...okay well I should mention that I met him in the club at night after about 5 or 6 drinks so I should have known better than to trust "drinking eyes" but nonetheless, the girls I was with agreed that he looked good and I now realize that they must have been drunk as hell too because this man can certainly be classified as "ablockaway" cause he looks good from a block away, but up
close hmmmm...another story. He's not UGLY or ! anything but he's one of those guys that looks okay from a certain angle so you find your self trying to be on his "good side" at all times...well anyway, let me give you the description: He's about 7'0'' and not really muscular but not fat at all and not skinny. He seems to be a good weight for his size and if he put some muscle his body would be much much better. He is 28 and from Macon, GA. He's been in the Navy for 8 years and in Japan for 5. He doesn't speak that much Japanese but he does speak some. "Never been to college but uh, got crazy knowledge" and loves music about as much as I do.

So after we leave the station we drive around a little he showed me some really nice places right, we were seaside and it was chill. Oo-ops, I forgot to describe the car. Don't really remember the type but it wasn't bad looking from the outside, but on the inside, it was quite a mess. I was like "Nigga, you knew you was having company. You could've cleaned this mess up!" He laughed and I did too, but you know I was serious as an aka. (lol, sorry Rikca had to throw that in) So we go to this little American restaurant for drinks and appetizer kinds of things cause I already ate dinner. The place was nice convo was okay, but you know I had to pay for my own food...i had a $4 plate of fries and a pepsi! He didn't even offer, at least offer and I'll tell you "Nah, I got it" but this nigga didn't even offer. Okay, so we're already at 3 strikes (the bag, the car, and now the paying thing) and the date should be over right...but not yet. We try to go bowling, but they don't! have any shoes big enough for him so he gets pissy with the lady at the desk mumbling something about a conspiracy and we walk away. Did I forget to mention its his b-day and he's a Scorpio...? Okay, so next we go to a little convience store to pick up some snacks b/c he doesn't have any at home. He doesn't really eat candy or stuff like that, so he says. So we go and he's like "Get what you want." I do, and I PAY for it! Niggas!!!

Okay so the we go back to his house because he had bootleg versions of Barber Shop and Brown Sugar. Both I was excited about watching! So I watched (oh i mean we) Barbershop first...LOVE IT!!! and ate some snacks, this nigga is all in my food, so I was like "Nah nigga, you ain't put in on this" (yes i did say it just like that and as ghetto as I could, but laughing a lil) I gave him one piece of my kit kat and then I told him to look in his fridge and eat some of that stuff from over there. Anyway, the rest of the night was cool. We wat! ched some music videos that he had downloaded from the internet and put on to disks. I got to see the Erykah Badu "Love of my life" video and LL's new love song and the Cam'ron "We can get high tonight" and one more I can't remember the name. Then we watched "Brown Sugar" and I cried at the end, and he called me a punk, which I guess I am. By this time its like 4am so I just spend the night there and sleep on his bed and he slept in the living room. I woke him up about 10:30 and was like, "I'm hungry". So he fixed breakfast: scrambled eggs, bagels & cream cheese, turkey bacon (yes they have t-bacon on base) and the orange juice (I BOUGHT)! After that I showered and got dressed and sat out on his balcony reading some magazines he had until he got ready to go. He made me a really good CD of a lot of new hip hop (Erykah Badu's "Love of my life" and some classics Common's "I used to love her". He has a lot of stuff like that on his computer.

So anyway, he got dressed for the day (wearing a beady tan and blue FUBU sweater, some dark jeans named HEDZ UP that you could see his ankles when he sit down, and some beat up white and blue reeboks or something) and we went to this place called Seaside Paradise that he had been telling me about. It's like a really small amusement park with a lot of restaurants, an aquarium and some rides. The cheapness things was really starting to worry me so I really didn't want to fool with him w/riding rides stuff. I wasn't going to pay for some place he wanted to take me...so we had lunch, of course I bought my own and then we walked around. I took some pictures and we talked and then I went to the train station to go home. I was so worried about missing my train that I bought my ticket said bye and dashed off!! I know it was rude and I sent him a message later saying sorry about being so abrubt but I had a long train ride home and didn't want to miss my train.

I know this is long so here is the overall breakdown if you don't read the whole thing: he's a nice guy, someone I can ask to make me CDs, or movies, but has no fashion style and we really don't have that much in common other than being from America. Kinda sad that I sorta wasted a weekend, but the pros: I actually had a "date" in Japan, caught up on a little reading and watching some movies almost everyone I knew from home has seen (even though they were bootlegs) and got a bangin' CD.

Se es la vida

Well, I did it. I went to Tokyo this past weekend and got a perm! When I was in Yokohama last weekend, I met this girl named Tracey who lives on base down there. She recommended someone to me (Black chick) but she was book for the next 2 weekends, and you know me...when I decide that its time to do something, I need to do it right then or shortly thereafter. So, I called Tracey back and she gave me the info of this place in Tokyo that I should go. The owner is a guy named Mayo who is from NY but got family in Tarboro and Rocky Mt. (small freakin' world) He actually told me that he has a cousin named William Mayo that plays ball for UNC but I don't know that cat.

So I set up an appt for Saturday. I braided my hair up in cornrows after I made the appt so I didn't have to go around looking like a wild child for the rest of the week. It was cute too if I say so myself...anyway, I digress, as usual. So, when I get to this place its pretty nice, all the stylists except one are Japanese but have been to Atlanta and New York for training on how to do black hair and have a fair amount of black customers. The black girl who was in the shop was from St. Louis or something and kept acting like she wasn't happy to see me in there. I was kinda upset with her b/c you know me, its so rare I see black folks so I'm trying to be friendly and she is givin' me the cold shoulder so I was finally like "forget that hoe" and stopped talking to her...So I took out my braids and had them take a pic of my hair before they started the perm. The girl doing my hair was this Japanese girl named China (Chee-nah) and this guy helped her comb my hair (yes it took two of them to do it) and perm. My scalp is sooo sensitive so I'm glad they decided to do the tag team to get it in and out faster. After they did the perm they did this real nice washing job and then gave me a conditioner. She wrapped my head in plastic wrap and put me under this rotating heat lamp. It felt really really good. Then she washed my face with this hot towel and gave me a massage! It was THE BEST!!! Then she washed everything out and cut and blow dried my hair. I don't know if you've seen the new Mandi Moore hair cut, but its kinda like that. Its a few different lengths and I can wear it flipped or bob/wrapped. I have it flipped now. I am taking school pictures Tomorrow so I'll have some pictures of it to send soon. I can't wait to get my film developed so I can have some before and after photos!

So that's that. I couldn't deal with the natural any longer. The winter was getting much to cold to be washing as much as I was and it was a big hassle to try to braid or twist twice a week. That just takes up so much time. I'm very happy with my hair, I just hope I can keep it healthy and make it grow. I'm going to keep regular appts w/China. Probably once a month (that's regular for me!) to keep it cut and get that great wash and massage. It cost me $100 to get a perm wash and cut so I'm certainly looking for someone else that won't charge so much, but I'd rather have someone that knows what they are doing and pay $100 than pay $50 and come back to the states balding and pissed off!!!

I have on word YOKOHAMA!!! I went there this weekend and I straight up and down enjoyed myself. Gosh, I found my little spot in Japan. People overrate Tokyo because Yokohama is much much better. Its the same amount of shopping and clubs but its more spread out and has a few less people. I really really enjoyed myself. Kimiko, Sanae, Erica and I went down and stayed at Kimi's brother's apt. We went to two clubs, to a curry museum, did some shopping, and to a wonderful restaurant. I definitely have to go back soon!

My 9th grade class has been out pickin' mushrooms in the woods surrounding our school for the last month or so (remember the fateful accident where I feel and gouged huge holes in my hand). Well, on Tuesday, one group of students found a seemingly abandoned tent in the woods. One of the members of that group found what looked to him like a human bone! So they went back and reported all of this to the principal who in turned called the police. The police went out and investigated the tent and talked to the students and found that someone had committed suicide in the tent! Talk about surprised!!! All of the students had to go into the prinicipals office w/the police officer and he in turn told them what he found. Japan needs to get it together because their folks are really just committing suicide left and right out here.

Gosh, its been about a week since I last came here to blog. I feel like a stranger in my own journal. Last week was like a whirlwind trying to catch up from being away in Gunma for 4 days. I went to a really fun Halloween party this weekend and didn't really dress up as anything but I wore a black dress my black knee boots and my friends wig, i put on make up and stuff like I was going out...but the thing is folks here so rarely see me dressed up like...uh...NEVER! So when I got to the party, people were kinda cordial but weren't acting like they knew who I was! I was so surprised, but the wig hair is really long and looked pretty good on (from what others say, you know how modest I am...I'd never say). I can't wait until I see the pictures from that night. I ended up staying with my friend Alberto

I wanna go home for Christmas!!! I won't be able to buy my ticket for two more weeks and I know the prices are going to be off the roof by then. A friend of mine was supposed to come visit but I guess things just got real busy for her and she just couldn't get back to me...its sad but now I'm ready to go home. My mom isn't expecting me. She didnt' think I'd have the funds. Honestly I didn't either and unless I get a really good deal from the travel agent, I may be here for the holidays...I'll just keep praying that all will work out well.

I just got finished watching this movie called Black and White. Its a really good movie. I would definitely suggest renting it if you can get hold of the movie. I saw the trailer on one of the tapes I rented from the Video Store. The movie is crazy...it deals a lot with race, but I guess my problem is movies like that only make me have less trust in people. I'm thinking the main point was no matter what color you are and what your position is in life you can still be shady and scandelous. There were a lot of plots going on together but it was very well written as well as acted

RACE: is constantly in my face. I can't decide how I feel about race. I can't decided if its colors that separate us or history or both and more...uh, as if enough things in life aren't confusing me like present and past tense and japanese verbs, now I'm on this quest to dechiper how I feel about race. I think what I'll do is begin my own sort of race chronicles. Separate from this blog of course because after all this is supposed to be decided to my life in Japan, like race isn't a factor in that...?

Anyway, My inside voice and outside voice are competing so its time to go.

I love Harlem Nights. This is my most recent find in the book store called "Book Off". They have all the used CDs and movies you could think of. I have been slowly adding to my movie collection buy films that are 500-900yen ($4-7). My favorite line from the movie is when Benny says to Vera "well swallow it and shut the F up!" Classic Movie line!

I am reading a new book called Manchild in the Promise land. Erica gave it to me this weekend. I had been reading Harry but it wasn't holding my attention. I still have every intention to finish up the first book I started, but I am enjoying this book so far. Reading, studying Japanese and watching movies consumes my after work time. But that is cool with me because I like doing all three!

Not a the relaxing week or weekend I envisioned. When I decided to go to Gunma to visit my friend Erica, I didn't know that I'd end up working Thursday and Friday!!! I was supposed to be taking my vacation days for having to work, but ended up at work with her teaching both days! It was fun I must say having more students to play with and talk to since her school is so big, but still, it was work. We had a good time though, catching up and doing some shopping. I bought a few long sleeve shirts to hold me off until I get the last bit of my winter clothes here. We hung out with some of the ALTs (English teachers) from her prefecture and they are quite different from my Yamanashi peeps. I'm sure she thinks our folks are weird but I've grown used to hanging out with them. Our prefecture is so small that I see just about all the ALTs from the JET program that live here often and we know each others names and its all cool. With Erica's folks, she was just introduced to a lot of them for the first time. It helps to me with getting adjusted knowing that there are so many other people who I can call or talk to that don't live very far away.
My prefecture is also much prettier than hers. The are so many mountains and small valley villages and the leaves are starting to change and driving past nature in all its glory, I just love it! Going to her prefecture was a nice drive. It took me about 3 hours. But once you get there its nothing but country and flat land. She lives in an apartment complex called Maruwa Heights. There are nothing but Brazilians out there and anything called "Heights" you know from the door is ghetto! It was a lot of fun, good time was had and coming home was much appreciated.

My friend Hazel gave me a flower before I left and when I got home...it was almost dead. I still think she is trying to hold on so I'm bringing her to school tomorrow to see if the school secretary or science teacher (who both have very green fingers) can help make her better. I hope so..I took a picture of the flower just in case. My flower's name is Hana, which means flower in Japanese.

Yet another really fun weekend.

Friday I went to Yamanashi City for a birthday party for a JET who lives near here.

Saturday I was in a parade in Kofu. I thought it was going to be boring but it ended up being really fun. I was with a large group of foreigners. People from Russia, China, Canada, Brazil, and many other places. We paraded up and down the street with the rest of the parade dancers and did some really fun easy dances. I had a great time. My friend took pictures of us...soon to come.

Sunday I had folks over for a sleep over. I felt quite domestic. I fried chicken, made rice and noodles and put together a salad. We drank tea and of course, beer. We watched some movies I had in my small collection and talked about books and magazines we've read recently. It was really fun to get together and I think they enjoyed themselves. They marveled over how big my place is which is small in American standards but in Japan its rather large.

Monday...the end of my long weekend. I took my houseguests up to Lake Shoji to see Mt. Fuji. We took a bunch of really nice pictures up there and then I took them all back to Kofu. On my way home, I found a beautiful park about 10 mins away from my house. I went there and spent the afternoon watching families, enjoying the sunshine, and studying my Japanese. Its a really great place and it even has a path for running. I was glad to find such a nice park, but was really disturbed by something as I was leaving. I went to my car which was parked beside the road and I saw a small boy who couldn't have been more than 7 years old who was cripple and walking alone down the narrow street. As he got closer I could see that he was crying...so I got out of my car and went over to him and asked him, "Are you alright?" (in Japanese of course) He didn't say anything, but he stopped crying. Then I asked him, "Where is your mom?" And didn't answer so I started walking with him back in the direction that he came from. As I was walking with him, this Japanese man and his young daughter came over. The looked at me a little funny then they walked off with the little boy talking to him in fast Japanese. It wasn't his dad or sister, but they took him to his folks. When I drove back around, the guy waved at me and nodded. Its really hard to read Japanese people's expessions but I'm glad that the little boy found his family.

Its finally the weekend and boy am I ready for it. Last night I went to dinner with some JETs up in this town called Yamanashi City. Just before I was leaving some JETs called me from Masuho and asked if I'd pick them up. Its about 20 mins down the mountain for me, but I also had to go to Kofu to pick up the futons for my sleepover on sunday. I ended up driving and hour and a half each way tonight to L-River. Trust I won't be doing that again.

The biggest topic in my life recently has been interracial dating. I guess the first thing was when a friend of mine told me that she was dating white men. I thought it strange at first but then starting doing some thinking about it. The next thing was the July issue of Essence Magazine...Cover story "When Mr. Right is White", then a conversation with my aunts on IM about it, then talking with a friend in London, and on and on. Today I got two emails regarding it which were sent to me from a friend whom I'd been discussing the topic with.

The first was from a sister who was having trouble finding the "Black Mr. Right" so she decided to date a wonderful white guy who had class, style, sense of humor, good job, caring, yada yada...they dated for a while and it ended in her dumping him because she was trying to fight for the black race and didn't feel like it was right to have a white man by her side. The conclusion was basically that you can't be Pro-Black while dating a white person. Hmmm....I wasn't going to at first, but I have to include her comments here:

This dude was taking me out, kicking it with me, supporting my endeavors, conversing with me on a plethora of topics, bringing me flowers, etc.. I have yet to find a Mandigo with the same characteristics knocking at my door (which would be a dream come true). However, after much mental and emotional debate, and after talking to my overly opinionated father, I couldn't justify with myself, how I could date a white man and concurrently hold a position as one of the leaders of this milleneum's revolution. So that leaves me with what? Between Mr. Charlie and an empty bed. LOL. It eventually led to turning down potential attention, love and affection because my passion for my race and fighting the injustices that people have mainatined on us, is soo strong.

So, at the present time, I do believe that it is a contradiction for a man to cry about the injustices he faces as a black man, and then lend is emotional well being to the same individual who is inherently responsible for those injustices. Dr. King had a dream, yes, but if he was indeed sleeping with a white girl, like so many militant Panthers and revolutionaries, he was wrong. Period.

The response to her email was a sister saying that she wants Ms. Black Power to slow down a little bit. Here is what the other sister had to say:

Whoa! I fully support your decision to find your purpose and start working toward a better life for our people. I certainly admire the fact that you have matured into a young woman who knows her responsibility in life goes beyond fulfilling her own dreams, but taking care of the dreams of the future. HOWEVER, you do not have to put YOUR happiness on hold to continue working toward the goal. So he's white? Big deal! You're not looking to get married today. You should be looking to experience life and the beauty one can find in things different. Companionship, laughter, support -- those things don't see color. My dream man is black and beautiful, but I will not close my options at this point in my life. I don't go out seeking to date a certain color, but I'll be open to any intelligent, funny, caring and sensible man. Problem is, none, no matter what color they are, are stepping to me!
So, Miss, you better stop trying to fit the image of a revolutionist before the romantic revolution passes you by.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I'm supposed to be having a sleepover at my house this weekend. As of now, I have 3 people that are confirmed to be coming. The only problem I see arising is NO ONE had a freakin' car! Meaning I have to pick everyone up from the train station. The most I can fit at a time is 3 so as much as I want folks to be able to visit, I don't want to have to take numerous trips up and down that mountain from my house to Kofu. I'll know for sure about numbers toward the end of the week because Erica is thinking about coming down with a friend of hers from Gunma. E's friend went to Spellman and the girl I know went to Clark so it will be cool for them to meet. Its Kofu week here and there is a big International parade on Saturday that Alberto signed me up for, but I still haven't decided whether or not I want to be "on display" anymore than I already am. We'll see how the weekend shapes up. I know I do need to clean up and wash some clothes before they come so they will have somewhere to sit!

You know its is honestly the little things that TRULY make your day!!!! I recieved a b-day card and present today that was so unexpected and so thoughtful that I wouldn't care if it came a YEAR late! You are truly a GEM SAB sister! You have put a huge smile on my face and I really really hope that I will get to see you soon. **HUG**

What a great weekend! On Friday night the girls soccer team from Yamanashi went to dinner at this great Italian restaurant in Kofu. The meals were kind of expensive but the portions were so large that we just decided to split dishes which cut costs and leftovers. It was good. 12/14 of us were there. It was really nice to all be together for the first time. The bonding began at dinner and continued on from there. I stayed at Katie's house and drove up with her and another car full of people first thing (5AM) Saturday morning. The drive was about 3 hrs and we were doing 120km/h just about the whole way there! The guy I was following was FLYING! At one point, I was like "nah dawg" I have to risk getting lost because he was really speeding around these curbs.

We arrived in Nagano around 8:30ish dropped our bags changed clothes and went out on the field to warm up.Since we had 14 girls from Yamanashi and we were playing 6 a-side the team co-ordinators wanted us to have 2 teams of 7. Our teams were Yama Mama's and Mama Yama's. We had a cheer, pom poms, matching outfits, and headbands. My team was pretty good although we went 0-4. The first day we played 3 games and on our field it seemed like the more serious set of girls were there. The other Yamanashi women's team went 1-1-2. They were good and really seemed to gel as a team early which helped out.

Out of all the teams we played the girls from Osaka were the most bitchy. They complained about everything!!! Rules, offsides, rough housing (when they were the roughest of all the teams we played), so when my team played them in our last game of the day on Friday we were already down 0-2 so we decided to forget winning and take them out. We were tired of hearing them whine and run over people all day. So that is exactly what we did!!! It was soo fun too! I playing defense and basically trying to take this one big girl down the whole game. My teammates were so funny because they were encouraging me to be mean!! It was so funny...I stole the ball from the big girl like 4 times and she kept coming at me the same way...I figured she'd learn but apparently not. I think they were getting mad about me tripping them and stuff so one big girl came down and took me out! I got up right away but my head was spinning. I was literally seeing the little stars that spin around the cartoon characters heads! I had to sit out for a second or two but I got myself together and watched the last 2 mintues of the game. It was a lot of fun.

My friend Erica came down to hang out with the Yamanashi folks and they really like her too. They said she was funny and that I should tell her to come down to our prefecture to hang out with us sometime. There was a party that night at the hotel we stayed in which was a lot of fun. The DJ had a lot of hip hop but got stuck on house music too long. Our team "SAID" we weren't going to drink much because we still had a game to play Sunday morning....but it didn't quite work out like that. Someone found our goalie in the bathroom drunk and one of our forwards was caught kissing on some randome guy in the back of the party. Our girls were done to say the least. As for me...I had 2 cans of Chu Hi (which is like flavored beer), two glasses of wine (different brands), one beer for the toast of the party, a cup of sake, another can of beer because I was the last one to hit the floor for GRENADE!!! (tell you about that later), and some rum and coke that my friend Charlie KEPT making me drink. I was definitely done that night! But what surprised me the most was that in the morning I was good. I wasn't sick or anything...and I usually can't mix at all so I was lucky. Erica had everything I had except the Chu Hi and her no-having-tolerance self kept saying "I want some more to drink, I'm not drunk yet" I am learning that when she says this...She's DONE!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have an announcement to make. I, Eboni Staton, met a black guy in Japan!!!! Don't get to excited...he has a girl friend and lives about a million hours away..but it made for a nice weekend. Out of the 500 people at the tourney there were 5 black women and 3 black men. When I came downstairs Saturday morning dressing in my uniform (looking cute with my French braids and bandana tied around my head might I add) he looked so shocked to see me. We exchanged pleasantries and went off to our respective fields to warm up. He wasn't the cutest thing but by the end of the dance (and after many many drinks) both Erica and I thought he looked much better. He was a little cocky and was like "I'm the only black guy in here, I know you want to dance with me" And just for that I let the negro dance alone until his Jamaican groupies came along. Who I might add were dressed up in Rave and Rainbow clothing while everyone else had on jeans and t-shirts. Go figure?!

GRENADE-drinking game where you have a "Grenade Master" who during the night will periodically call out "GRENADE" and everyone has to get down on the floor all the way. Not just hands and knees...all the way! If you don't hear the grenade master or you are last to get down...you have to down whatever drink it is you have in your hand...if you don't have a drink in hand, they will get you one.

Sunday morning was quite a sight!! We had one more person in our room than had been there all night. A guy from our prefecture that we all know didn't have anywhere to sleep so when Erica and I went to bed, he came up and stayed in the room with us and the 3 other girls who were in our room. The hotel we stayed at was Japanese style so there are tatami mats on the floor and futons, blankets, pillows, and sheets in the closet. Its much more economical this way because you can fit many more people in the room. All 14 of us were so beat up from Saturday's activities that we WANTED to get put out early so we wouldnt have to continue playing. Our wish came true! Both teams lost in the first round and went to go watch the end of the boys tournament.

I had a GREAT time! I definitely want to go back to Nagano when YETI has their ski trip in February. Hopefully I'll be able to go back before then. I really enjoyed myself with the ladies and gentlemen of our Yamanashi group. We were by far the most outstanding-ken and had the most fun. I didn't mention the game of strip soccer did I??

Yo, in my old age, I really think I'm starting to get some emotional bones in my body. I was in here watching "Something to talk about" with Julia Roberts and I had to sit in here and fight back the tears! I'm not even kidding! I watched that and Curly Sue tonight so my movie collection is officially exhausted. I need to find a new Book Off Store with some good movies in it.

Tonight I fixed some of the best chicken nuggets I've ever tasted. They were frozen and all I had to do was warm them up but when I ate them with a pinch of mustard...my taste buds exploded!!! This chicken is giving me new inspiration for cooking! (if you call microwaving, cooking). I had to bring my own lunch to school today so I packed up some pineapple rings, Ritz crackers and spaghetti that I cooked this morning. I'm going to make mixed pasta for tomorrow's lunch. I bought some bread at the store today so I'll have that too. Not sure what else. I'm not really good at making balanced meals...I have to come up with a better system than this day by day thing. I'm trying hard not to take peanut butter and jelly sandwiches everyday because that's what they expect. I'll get it together sooner or later.

We've been told all day that this typhoon was going to overflow the river in front of my house and that all kinds of terrible weather was coming this way. This is typhoon #21 for Japan this year and the biggest so far. We ended up leaving school a bit early today because of all the high winds and rain. Around 6pm the winds picked up and it got quite bad. But it has definitely calmed down a lot. Its supposed to hit Yamanashi at midnight, so we'll see. I'll be sleep so I probably won't know. All of our windows have bars on them so if something hits the window it won't break immediately. We also have storm doors what are made of all metal that close over the glass window sliding doors. It makes it quite safe for flying objects and shattering windows so I won't have a problem sleeping at all.

I'm going to read a little Harry Potter then I'm taking it to bed. I've been so sleepy in the mornings that I just feel like going to be earlier tonight. Oyasumi!

This morning a got a message from a JET friend that lives down in Southern Yamanashi. She called and wanted to know if I wanted to go to this Mexican restaurant that everyone RAVES about in Fujinomiya, which is about a 30 min drive from my school. I'm always up for Native English speaking company so of course I say yes. I actually know a girl I met at DC orientation who lives up there and I'd been meaning to get up with her since we live so close but the opportunity never presented itself...until today. So, after work I come home to get the directions to the place and start off to Fujinomiya. The JETs from Yamanashi are supposed to meet me at this restaurant at 7pm. So I told my friend Ash that live in Fujinomiya, that I'd meet her earlier to catch up and talk before the other folks arrived. I got there about 6pm. At 6pm I get a call from the Yama JETs saying they didn't leave home unti 6pm and it would be 7:15 or so before they got there. I said that's cool. Well just hang around until you get here. So my friend took my to her apt and showed me around. She has quite a nice place and very nice decorating taste. I was very impressed. She also told me that she usually has a Japanese student she teaches on Monday nights and wanted to know if she could come to dinner with us. I said that would be good. I was also thinking it would be really good practice for her student. So, I'm waiting for the Yama JETs to call me back around 7pm when they should be fairly close to our meeting spot. When they call back, they said it would be another 30 mins or so before they arrived.

Now, keep in mind my day. Got up at 7:15 to get ready for work. Left home at 8pm. Sat at my desk and at the computer from 8:30am-4:30pm because there was no English lesson today and the English teacher was on holiday. Left work after having done absolutely nothing for 8 hours and drove 20 mins in the opposite direction of Fujinomiya to get the directions for the place. Left home about 5pm and arrived at 6pm. Sat around with Ash for an hour and of course by this time I'm hungry. So when they called that last time, I just told them I was going to eat with Ash and her student and then I was going home. You also have to keep in mind there are about 6 of them riding up together and I am by myself. Also bear in mind that a party of 8 will take much longer to serve than a party of 3 and if I would have waited and ate with them, I would have been pissy so I'm glad that I just ate and when home. Their being late could not be placed on any one in particular, but me driving home on a full stomach at 10pm or later is really not what I had in mind when we were supposed to be sitting down to eat at 7pm originally.

We ended up eating at Gusto's which was very very good and our waiter was practicing the bit of English that he knew. Ash's student was able to practice and get in some practice talking to me so that was good for her too. I got home at a decent hour. I'm going to read a little bit of Harry and take my self to sleep.

Tomorrow I start bringing my own lunch to school and I forgot to make it tonight so I'll get up earlier tomorrow. *Yeah Right*

Good day today. I got up about 7:45 to a sky of pouring rain thinking that soccer practice would be cancelled, but boy was I wrong. I told the team co-ordinator Laura that I wasn't going to play but I did want to go down there to get our kit sorted out and find out what team I would be on and all that stuff. It was raining much to hard for me to risk catching a cold to suit them. But I'm excited!!! We have a good team and the shorts and socks like really good together. Now we only have to find the shirts.

I came home and started reading the first Harry Potter book. I fell asleep after page 10, I hope that's not a sign of how the rest of the reading is going to go. I saw the movie so I know the plot line already although I know the book will be much more specific...we'll see.

Tonight I went to Maman Pumpkin's which is a excellent Indian restaurant with Hazel, Terry, and Chris. It was Hazel's birthday and that's her favorite place to eat. Its very good, but very spicy so I always have to get something off the baby menu so my mouth doesn't burn up! We had a great dinner and finished it up with Indian cha, which is a spicy sort of tea. Its really good too. After dinner, we went to the Sports Cafe for drinks (I had soda) and playing pool. I suck at pool but I'm getting better each time. I guess that's the only way you really learn.

As I was going to my car after leaving the cafe' I saw a girl Nilta that I'd met when I was with Sanae last week. I was waving at her and she didn't recognize me, but the other two looked so happy to see me that I got out of the car and started talking with them and exchanging information almost immediately. The two other people ended up being Aru (Brazilian guy who speaks English just like I do) and Keysha (a Black girl from Pennsylvania). It was about midnight when I got back to my car where they were walking past, and I stayed out there and talked to them until about 1:50am! Nilta actually left about 10 minutes after I met them but Aru, Keysha, and I just stayed on the street and talked and talked. I was quite fun! We have made a date for them to come up to my place and have a sleep over, cook dinner and watch movies. I'm excited about all this, but it won't be for another week or so before they come up. We wanted to do it on a long weekend when we didn't have to go to work on Monday and I think the next one is October 14th. I really hope we keep in touch. Keysha has natural hair too and its much longer than mine so I'm sure I can help her out with braids and stuff...for a minimal cost that is. Aru has many people in his family that used relaxers and knows how to put one in so if I break down and have to get one, at least I know someone who is near me that can put it in!

This has been a pretty good day. I have my Japanese lesson tomorrow at 4:30 and still have yet to write the 1/2 page journal that Natusko asked me to write. I did work on the other homework she gave me though. I will get up semi-early tomorrow and work on it. I do want to be a dedicated student. Off to sleepy land. :)

I can begin to explain how small this world really is. My linesister's fiance's linebrother is here in Japan! He went to school with my best friend, knows her and all I know so many of his frat, but never met him! He's in the JET program too, about 2 prefectures over from me. Its still kinda far, but just a call away. Even funnier, we talked yesterday for the first time and found out that he is going to be in the JET soccer tournament in Nagano next weekend! Its so cool to meet people you can talk to about stuff you are both familiar with and a Black person at that, so I'm looking forward to meeting him.

Speaking of soccer, our practice this morning was postponed until 10AM because of the rain. I told the co-ordinator that I wasn't going to practice with them in the rain because I don't want to mess around and catch a cold. Its so easy to happen, so I'd rather be safe than sorry. I could have stayed to watch but I just left and went home. Well, I started to go home but then, I saw this huge SHOE mart. I told myself I wasn't going to, but I broke down and bought a pair of cleats. They're cute and were semi inexpensive. I feel like I need to find another use for these bad boys like join a soccer league or something. I have shorts and socks from the boys that played last year. We are using the kits they wore last year. I only have to find a shirt now. Most of us are in the same boat though because she wants us to wear blue polo style shirts, but they are no where to be found. I did find tons of blue t-shirts but not what Laura wants us to have. We still have until Saturday so I hope it will all work out.

We have 14 women from our prefecture playing so they want us to make two teams. We have the "Yama Mama's" and the "Mama Yama's". Its quite difficult to say three times fast! But anyway, I'm on the Yama Mama team. It should be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to the weekend away and getting to visit Nagano.

Mt. Fuji had its first snow of the year last night. Today on my way to school the mountain was visable from lake Shoji and of course I had to stop to see and take pictures. It was absolutely gorgeous. If only I had a digital camera to capture the moment immediately. This morning I braided my hair and of course another uproar in the teachers room when I arrived. I think that everyday the look to see what I'm wearing and how my hair is going to look. Today I wore a brown skirt, cream button down and had a sweater tied semi-J Crew style around my shoulders. Its so funny because its rare that I get attention at all unless it has something to do with my clothes or my hair. Its okay though and eventually they will get used to it.

I cleared my vacation days with my Prinicipal, Vice Principal, and the folks at the BOE. I'm going to Gunma to visit Erica for sure this time!!! Its still two weeks before, but I'm excited. They told me I should drive because it takes 5 hours on the train and only 3.5 at most if I drive. So what I need to do is make about 3 hours worth of good driving music and GO. So, that's the plan. Erica just got a car yesterday and that's great news because she will know some more places to go as opposed to before when she was on her bike. I'm excited about my second trip out of Yamanashi. The first is coming up fast too--the soccer tournament in Nagano.

Saturday we have practice and its actually supposed to rain, but I hope it doesn't.

Honestly, I don't care what anyone says...I can put some fire to a piece of chicken I swear! Dang, I have to complement myself. If I can't cook a thing else, Chicken...I can cook! Along with the help of some Japanese poultry seasoning of course. Tonight I made some of the best mini drumsticks I've ever tasted. Yumm!

I thought I'd supressed it, but alas, the clumsy in me has resurfaced. After last Friday's "spill" in the woods pickin' mushroom, I thought I'd be okay. WRONG! So, I'm leaving the Village Office today around 4:30, I miss the step down and bussss (not bust) my ass. I tore my GUESS Collection black slacks and tore up my left knee. The skin was broken and won't stop bleeding. I also have two really bad stratches on my right and left foot right when the shin turns into foot. I don't know how in the HELL I managed that but now my right hand, left knee, and both left and right feet are scarred up. And who doesn't have cocoa butter to hide the scars once they heal...ME. You guess it! Sometimes I worry about me. The bad part is the sores will heal eventually even if they don't go away but my slacks...they're gone forever :(.

Yesterday, my upstairs neighbor and co-worker came to me at the Jr. High School and asked me if I knew that her boyfriend stayed at her house many nights. Which was very dumb because our apartment parking lot is very small and of course I know that is his car. I've seen them in it before. He spends the night very often and has been for the last 3 weeks or so. The reason she really asked is because this morning when I was leaving from the Board of Ed (which is right next door) around 9:30 I saw him on her balcony. He must have called her and told her I saw him. She made it a point to ask me not to tell the students that he stays there. First of all, I told her that I wouldn't tell her business because if I did have some business to tell I'd hope that she wasn't at school telling all of it. I also let her know that me seeing him the other morning doesn't confirm anything that I didn't already know. She's a grown woman and what she does in her apt is her own business and I would hope that the same would apply for my business and my apartment. She pretends like she doesn't understand as much English as she really does but understood every word I said that morning.

But speaking of the boyfriend, I'm a little concerned. I've been visiting the elementary schools every day this week so that means I leave from home later, around 9:30 instead of 8am. Only this week, the boyfriend has been there when I leave for work. Which makes me wonder--Either he is on vacation (which I wouldn't want to spend my vacation locked up washing clothes and hanging out futons like he's been doing) or he ain't got no job. I hope its not the latter because on a teacher's salary she can't support the both of them. I'm being nosy, but she was the dumb one for even saying that. I guess she had to, but he's a bitch for calling her.

I think ALT's have been living in my apt for the last 5 years. Four women if my memory serves me correctly. So, there are some things that are in the apt that have just accumulated over the years. One of them is US TV programs that have been sent here. Today I found a tape that I hadn't seen before and popped it in. The first hour on here was 2 episodes of Drew Carey's "Whose line is it anyway" on which the black guy basically sang and danced. I'd be rash to call him a coon because I'm sure is just meant to be comedy. After that I watch 2 episodes of "Who wants to be a millionaire?" when it was in its first season. Quite entertaining though I must say I enjoy watching the Japanese version much better. The host is sooo funny (even though I don't know what he is saying, the facial expressions speak volumes). He also keeps the contestants waiting much longer and there is ALWAYS a commerical right before they reveal the answer. No matter how much I try to ignore getting sucked into the hype, I can't help it. But anyway, back to this old tape. So after the Millionaire episodes, there was this weird special on New Zealand that I fast forwarded thru and then came to my faovrite of all time: The Dukes of Hazzard Reunion! No, I'm not kidding. Although I wish I was. It just came on and its 10:37pm, but I have to watch this before I go to bed. I grew up on the Dukes! Daisy is looking a little withered, but Ennis stlil loves her! Its amazing what you find when you aren't looking...

I got my pictures developed from the waterfalls we went to a few weeks ago. I look like a chunk ball, but that's just pretty much how I feel on a daily basis. I also got the picture I took of Watanabe-sensei (the math teacher) sleeping at his desk. He saw it today and of course laughed. I also got a picture of all of the teachers from my school at our Welcome party on Friday. I love the photo shops here. I paid about 600yen for the developing and they were ready in 1 hour. You can't get service like that in the States! The toss up is it takes me forever to read the drop off instructions, so oh well.

My friend Erica and I have so many things in common that its really scary. We've been trying to plan out our Christmas vacation for the past few weeks. You know black folks that ain't never been no where and now have a little piece of money, we got big plans right? So we were talking about going to Paris or to Brazil, but it doesn't look like either one of us are going to be able to swing an expensive trip like that anytime soon. E is also trying to get a car and finish setting up her place so we can't go into that kind of money right now. So, we decided to stay around Japan and do some touring on the main island of Honshu. Kyoto is one of the most traditional areas in Japan, I live near Fuji and around a lot of temples and shrines, and we can also take the train down to Hiroshima to do some sight seeing. I've ordered this book called Lonely Planet Japan, that should help with reservations and trains and everything. So, I'm excited about that. Planning domestically is much easier because I can do most of it myself and doesn't involve any plane reservations.

"This is my life. You are my life. I want to thank you, I thank you father, for blessing me"

I am finally finished with all the school festivals that I had to go to. One Saturday and one today. The weather was so nice yesterday and the festival was by far my favorite. I really like Shoji Elementary School. The principal wants to learn English. The students are very friendly and want to learn. The teachers want to talk to me in English as well although they know very little. They have a lot of activities at the festival that involve the PTA and of course the momma's keep coming over to me every time there was a PTA activity asking me to join. By Saturday at had already been to 2 festivals so I'm getting used to them. Today's was okay too. The weather wasn't quite as nice. It was a little cold this morning but then around 11:30 it started raining. At first only drizzling but as time when on it got worse. They modified the schedule so that it wouldn't last quite as long but just as the closing stretches started we had to move into the gym because it started pouring! There is a traditional warm up and cool down stretch that everyone does together. Its really neat because EVERYONE knows it from the baby kindergarders to the ojisan and obachan's. There is one little pissy ass 6th grader that really gets on my nerves. He thinks he is so funny but I think its rather disrepectful. I really want to tell the little prick about himself. I think it stands out so much because everyone else is pretty nice except for him. Like today they played this game where you had to race for these goodie bags. Well this ass comes over to me and hands the bag to me. As I start to take it from him, he snatches it and runs away. Now that's not something that is uncharacteristic of an awkward ass 6th grader but all of the kids in Kamikuishiki show me much respect and not one of them acts that way with me. He's just a prick and the other students have just spoiled me that's all.

I started recieving an English newspaper this week. Its called the Daily Yomiuri. It has a lot of good coverage and since its one of the main newspaper's in Japan for English speaking people it had world news. I feel more in touch with the world here than when I was in the US. It has a tv schedule of English speaking program and things that are in the original language but subtitled in Japanese are in bold. Tonight's program is Jurassic Park. Its been YEARS since I've seen this movie. Its so weird because I probably would never want to sit down and watch it at home and I'm not really interested in watching here, but just to have something in English talking in the background as I use the internet, write letters, even do my Japanese studying is comforting. I swear when I'm in the four walls of my home I don't really feel like I'm in Japan at all. Wait! I didn't know Samuel L Jackson was in this movie! The things you lean when you least expect it.

I toiled over my head this morning and finally worked it into 2 mother nature french braids. It came out very good and is much less time consuming than braiding my hair up in cornrows at night and trying not to sleep wild. (I know, fat chance) Having natural hair gives me the options that I so desparately need in my life but if I want to do anything other than wear it "curly" it takes a really long time to pick out, grease, comb and brush. But I do like having different hair styles. I was telling my mom about how much time it takes to do my hair and how sometimes I would just kill for a perm. Do you know this woman had the nerve to ask me if I wanted her to send me a "S-curl" Sometimes I think the woman has really lost it. I mean get rid of a perm and get an S-Curl?!? Yeah right!

Tomorrow we have a holiday so I don't have to go to school, but I do have my Japanese lesson in the evening. I don't know if its being lazy or that I really like my apt, but I am so content sitting in here and sleeping my morning away, waking up to do a little laundry and housekeeping, going to the movie store and spending my day in my apt! Sounds like a plan of action right?

The welcome party was so much fun. Its definitely true what they say about Japanese folks easing up with they start drinking. My prinicipal was just as talkative as I've ever seen him. I said my speech in Japanese and this time I had it memorized. They were so I'm pressed and so surprised that I had remember it. I was very happy about the way things worked out. We had dinner at this Chinese restaurant that served about 6 or 7 courses including dessert. One course I had to pass up because it was pork but the rest were quite delicious. They told me that they are glad I'm getting used to living and working in Japan. They told me that I understand more than any of the other ALT's they've had. I asked the Vice Principal if I can work out with the students as they prepare for the 11K run around Lake Mototsu in November. He was really excited about that and I'll be going to PE with them when the work out. Hopefully this will help get me in shape for this soccer game in a few weeks. The principal keep making me eat and drink, eat and drink. I had to slow down during the last hour and only drink tea! I know that because everyone was drinking folks were a lot more energetic than they usually are at school but I enjoyed the loose side of my co-workers. After work we carpooled to the restaurant from school and then everyone goes back to their cars and drives home. The principal was so drunk he brought his blanket and spent the night at the Junior High! Off to bed because I have to be up bright and early for Shoji Elementary school festival.

My Speech: Kyo watashino tameni konoyouna subarashikaiwo arigatougozaimasu. (Today, thank you for my wonderful party) Watashiwa, kamiku chugako no minasanto deaite totemo ureshidesu desu. (I really enjoy working with everyone at Kamiku Junior High, you are all very friendly) Watashiwa mada nihonni wakaranaikoto ga takusan arimasu. (There are still many things about Japan I do not know) Minasanto nakayouku nareruyouni iishokenme ganbarimasunode douzoyoroshiku oneigaishimasu. (If there are somethings I do wrong will you please help me. I would really appreciate it.) Arigato gozaimashita (Thanks a lot)