Saturday, October 18, 2003
Um....ok....so now the blog editor looks totally different.....
I came to the Internet cafe today to find that the only computer with a CD R/W drive has been replaced with a computer that doesn`t have a CD R/W drive. Ugh!! I think I will still come here because of the atmosphere, but if I want to transfer my pics to my CD, I`m gonna head to the other Internet cafe that has CD R/W drives in all it`s computers...too bad that this Internet cafe is gonna loose a big part of my business with them.
Today is such a nice, sunny, October day. I feel that crispness in the air that makes me think of Halloween....it reminds me of home, even though it`s not quite like home. It makes me miss home even more....I don`t know what it is about fall that makes me so nostalgic....
I came to the Internet cafe today to find that the only computer with a CD R/W drive has been replaced with a computer that doesn`t have a CD R/W drive. Ugh!! I think I will still come here because of the atmosphere, but if I want to transfer my pics to my CD, I`m gonna head to the other Internet cafe that has CD R/W drives in all it`s computers...too bad that this Internet cafe is gonna loose a big part of my business with them.
Today is such a nice, sunny, October day. I feel that crispness in the air that makes me think of Halloween....it reminds me of home, even though it`s not quite like home. It makes me miss home even more....I don`t know what it is about fall that makes me so nostalgic....
Hey there....
Just stopped by the Internet cafe....Ah yes, I remembered what I had wanted to say. Last Thursday I went back to the Shinjuku school to teach two lessons. Most of the same teachers were there, including this British guy who struck me as kind of prissy the first time I saw him, if you know what I mean. Well, last Thursday, I saw him and I thought to myself, "Yep, he`s defenitely is". But there`s nothing wrong with that, right? And then....it struck me. Did any of you watch "You Are Being Served" on TV (on the PBS channel for you Americans)? Oh my God....this guy reminded me so much (but I won`t tell you just how much, KG ;-)) of the gay guy with white hair on that show! He even looks like him!....except that he doesn`t have white hair. Damn, that show was the funniest show ever!
Just stopped by the Internet cafe....Ah yes, I remembered what I had wanted to say. Last Thursday I went back to the Shinjuku school to teach two lessons. Most of the same teachers were there, including this British guy who struck me as kind of prissy the first time I saw him, if you know what I mean. Well, last Thursday, I saw him and I thought to myself, "Yep, he`s defenitely is". But there`s nothing wrong with that, right? And then....it struck me. Did any of you watch "You Are Being Served" on TV (on the PBS channel for you Americans)? Oh my God....this guy reminded me so much (but I won`t tell you just how much, KG ;-)) of the gay guy with white hair on that show! He even looks like him!....except that he doesn`t have white hair. Damn, that show was the funniest show ever!
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
I finally saw TK!
Last night, T-san again wanted to come to my apartment with her friend for "English practice". I don`t know what it was...but I decided to take matters into my own hands and invite TK, whom I hadn`t seen since coming back, over was well. Besides, it`s my apartment, I can invite whomever I want. However, since it was raining pretty badly last night, he needed a ride, which T-san (who is one of the few people who knows about my feelings for him) was kind enough to give him. However, T-san`s friend cancelled because she had to work late.....that sounds awfully suspicious....and I wonder if it had to do anything with the fact that I invited TK....I hope I am not seen as a wrongdoer in their eyes....because don`t I have the right to invite whomever I want, since T-san basically invites herself....which I don`t mind....but at the same time, I have to give up my time, often after work when I`m tired, to play hostess. Anyway, since Y-san lives next door to TK, I told T-san that Y-san was also invited. So after work, T-san, Y-san, and TK came over my house. The only thing was that when they got there, Y-san grabbed my "Gaijin" book, and started reading it, which is fine, but he read it practically the entire time they were there, hardly joining in the conversation! I mean....should I just let it go? Or was I doing something wrong as a hostess? Should I have included him in the conversation? Ugh....all these worries....
But don`t let me mislead you....I had a really good time. Time went by all too fast! I thought that maybe seeing TK again after almost three months would sort of bring me "back to reality" and make me realize that perhaps I`m just infatuated with the idea of him....but it didn`t.....I just made me so happy to see him again, it was as if we had last seen each other only yesterday. I don`t know....there was something I felt being with him, seeing his "smiling eyes"...it wasn`t sexual. Dare I say I felt something coming from him? T-san said that lately TK has been feeling kind of down....but he didn`t seem it when I saw him last night.
I know. I`m deluded. But at least this fantasy will keep me going at least for a little while.
Last night, T-san again wanted to come to my apartment with her friend for "English practice". I don`t know what it was...but I decided to take matters into my own hands and invite TK, whom I hadn`t seen since coming back, over was well. Besides, it`s my apartment, I can invite whomever I want. However, since it was raining pretty badly last night, he needed a ride, which T-san (who is one of the few people who knows about my feelings for him) was kind enough to give him. However, T-san`s friend cancelled because she had to work late.....that sounds awfully suspicious....and I wonder if it had to do anything with the fact that I invited TK....I hope I am not seen as a wrongdoer in their eyes....because don`t I have the right to invite whomever I want, since T-san basically invites herself....which I don`t mind....but at the same time, I have to give up my time, often after work when I`m tired, to play hostess. Anyway, since Y-san lives next door to TK, I told T-san that Y-san was also invited. So after work, T-san, Y-san, and TK came over my house. The only thing was that when they got there, Y-san grabbed my "Gaijin" book, and started reading it, which is fine, but he read it practically the entire time they were there, hardly joining in the conversation! I mean....should I just let it go? Or was I doing something wrong as a hostess? Should I have included him in the conversation? Ugh....all these worries....
But don`t let me mislead you....I had a really good time. Time went by all too fast! I thought that maybe seeing TK again after almost three months would sort of bring me "back to reality" and make me realize that perhaps I`m just infatuated with the idea of him....but it didn`t.....I just made me so happy to see him again, it was as if we had last seen each other only yesterday. I don`t know....there was something I felt being with him, seeing his "smiling eyes"...it wasn`t sexual. Dare I say I felt something coming from him? T-san said that lately TK has been feeling kind of down....but he didn`t seem it when I saw him last night.
I know. I`m deluded. But at least this fantasy will keep me going at least for a little while.
Sunday, October 12, 2003
"Beautify Japan-Get a Tatoo!"
-on a sticker stuck on someone`s motorcycle helmet
-on a sticker stuck on someone`s motorcycle helmet
Listening to a self-playing piano in the lobby of a hotel
As I listen to the beautiful music playing, it comes to my mind that someone actually has to play the melody in order to "program" it into the computer program that makes the piano play by itself. I then realize that what I`m listening to is the memory of a performance from a time, place, and person I will never know...
As I listen to the beautiful music playing, it comes to my mind that someone actually has to play the melody in order to "program" it into the computer program that makes the piano play by itself. I then realize that what I`m listening to is the memory of a performance from a time, place, and person I will never know...
Last Thursday, I was sent to the Shinjuku Berlitz to teach two lessons. It was my first time teaching in another school besides Hachioji and Tachikawa. Besides, I was going to the "big city".....the Shinjuku school is the mother of all Berlitzes, I figured. It was probably going to be just like what you see in the advertisements....students and teachers in very business-like attire and behavior. "I`m gonna feel like such a country bumpkin", I kept thinking over and over again.
I got to Shinjuku with plenty of time before I had to teach, so I went to Kinokunia and bought a "You`ve Been In Japan Too Long When...", which I had been planning to buy. But while I was there, a Harry Potter parody called, Barry Trotter and the Unnecessary Sequel caught my eye, so I bought it. I`m telling you, that place is dangerous. You always end up buying more than you originally planned to! After Kinokunia, I had some coffee at Starbucks, which I hadn`t done in a while...(I miss the Starbucks "sessions" I would have with T and DT...).
When I got to the school. I was indeed impressed. Rooms upon rooms....at least twice as many classrooms as the Hachioji school! Their schedule was about 10 pages long (as opposed to our 2-3). The teachers, while not the friendliest, didn`t exactly ignore me either so I made small talk with them. All the teachers seemed to come from either England or Australia (and acted accordingly ;-)). However, I checked bulletin board with the pictures of all the teachers and there are teachers from the US and Canada. The lessons themselves went very well. I was under the impression that the "city folk" would be colder but my student ended up being a really friendly person and in fact, asked me more questions than my average student. Even though she was a beginner...her English was advanced for the level she was taking. Anyways, it went very well and by the time I got home, I was very tired but happy with how things went.
I got to Shinjuku with plenty of time before I had to teach, so I went to Kinokunia and bought a "You`ve Been In Japan Too Long When...", which I had been planning to buy. But while I was there, a Harry Potter parody called, Barry Trotter and the Unnecessary Sequel caught my eye, so I bought it. I`m telling you, that place is dangerous. You always end up buying more than you originally planned to! After Kinokunia, I had some coffee at Starbucks, which I hadn`t done in a while...(I miss the Starbucks "sessions" I would have with T and DT...).
When I got to the school. I was indeed impressed. Rooms upon rooms....at least twice as many classrooms as the Hachioji school! Their schedule was about 10 pages long (as opposed to our 2-3). The teachers, while not the friendliest, didn`t exactly ignore me either so I made small talk with them. All the teachers seemed to come from either England or Australia (and acted accordingly ;-)). However, I checked bulletin board with the pictures of all the teachers and there are teachers from the US and Canada. The lessons themselves went very well. I was under the impression that the "city folk" would be colder but my student ended up being a really friendly person and in fact, asked me more questions than my average student. Even though she was a beginner...her English was advanced for the level she was taking. Anyways, it went very well and by the time I got home, I was very tired but happy with how things went.
My return to Soka...
After having left two months ago...on Wednesday, I finally paid a visit to where I spent ten months as an exchange student. The campus was in it`s early-autumn drabness...just like last year, when I had just gotten there. Of course, not being used to taking long bike rides up steep hills, I was tired when I got there. As I walked by the campus....I could feel the stares on me. It seemed strange to me....and it occured to me that I don`t get such stares even when I`m in town. I thought it very ironic since the school prides itself on having all these foreign students....you`d think they`d be used to them. One girl actually blurted out "Herro!" and started to giggle....as if she had dared herself to say something to me and was laughing at her "mischief." Of course, I said hello back and she and her group of friends just giggled.
However, even before I entered the Chit Chat Club, I heard my name being called by none other than ST...one of the staff members at the CCC. He had cut his hair and he looked really happy to see me. It was really nice seeing him again. And then, all the other staff members said hi to me. YT, one of the managers, was there....same old YT. And of course, KY, who was working as the manager that day....he had let his hair grow out. He is one of the rare Japanese who has curly hair, so it looked really nice. And also, sexy TH, who recently started working at CCC was there. His hair has grown out and it looks like a mop on his head, but he`s still sexy ;-) He`s the guy I mentioned at the end of July when I went to karaoke with him, KM, T, NY and some of their friends. Anyway, since TH is kinda quiet, I never heard him speak English whenever we hung out....but of course, he was speaking it at CCC....I didn`t know he was so good at English!
Anywayz, I was talking to KY and TN (another regular at CCC), when who should walk in but KM! I had never seen him before at the CCC. He said that it was his first time there but that he had stopped by to see TH. He told me that he and TH had applied for the CCC but that only TH had been accepted. Strangely enough, TK also had applied but he wasn`t accepted....and he had worked there before! But anywayz, I introduced KM and KY. KY, who hangs out with Y-san, TK, T-san, etc....the Chit Chat crew....the "goody two shoes" of sorts...And KM, the wild guy who likes to go to bars and clubs...who would have thought that they would meet someday? I showed them pictures from my digital camera. Afterwards, KM and TH left to catch up since they hadn`t seen each other in a long time. I also finally got to meet my other kohai, MS. She is a really nice girl and is very friendly to talk to. She`s half Japanese. She doesn`t look like she has Japanese blood, but she`s still very pretty. So MS, KY, and I had a nice conversation. After that, I just ended up talking to KY for a while, which was nice. I just wish I had been able to see TK...which KM had meet only moments before going to CCC. Oh well. Still, it was really nice to see all of the peeps at CCC again and meeting some new faces, including a Japanese Mexican girl, who comes from the same region of Mexico where my dad grew up!
After having left two months ago...on Wednesday, I finally paid a visit to where I spent ten months as an exchange student. The campus was in it`s early-autumn drabness...just like last year, when I had just gotten there. Of course, not being used to taking long bike rides up steep hills, I was tired when I got there. As I walked by the campus....I could feel the stares on me. It seemed strange to me....and it occured to me that I don`t get such stares even when I`m in town. I thought it very ironic since the school prides itself on having all these foreign students....you`d think they`d be used to them. One girl actually blurted out "Herro!" and started to giggle....as if she had dared herself to say something to me and was laughing at her "mischief." Of course, I said hello back and she and her group of friends just giggled.
However, even before I entered the Chit Chat Club, I heard my name being called by none other than ST...one of the staff members at the CCC. He had cut his hair and he looked really happy to see me. It was really nice seeing him again. And then, all the other staff members said hi to me. YT, one of the managers, was there....same old YT. And of course, KY, who was working as the manager that day....he had let his hair grow out. He is one of the rare Japanese who has curly hair, so it looked really nice. And also, sexy TH, who recently started working at CCC was there. His hair has grown out and it looks like a mop on his head, but he`s still sexy ;-) He`s the guy I mentioned at the end of July when I went to karaoke with him, KM, T, NY and some of their friends. Anyway, since TH is kinda quiet, I never heard him speak English whenever we hung out....but of course, he was speaking it at CCC....I didn`t know he was so good at English!
Anywayz, I was talking to KY and TN (another regular at CCC), when who should walk in but KM! I had never seen him before at the CCC. He said that it was his first time there but that he had stopped by to see TH. He told me that he and TH had applied for the CCC but that only TH had been accepted. Strangely enough, TK also had applied but he wasn`t accepted....and he had worked there before! But anywayz, I introduced KM and KY. KY, who hangs out with Y-san, TK, T-san, etc....the Chit Chat crew....the "goody two shoes" of sorts...And KM, the wild guy who likes to go to bars and clubs...who would have thought that they would meet someday? I showed them pictures from my digital camera. Afterwards, KM and TH left to catch up since they hadn`t seen each other in a long time. I also finally got to meet my other kohai, MS. She is a really nice girl and is very friendly to talk to. She`s half Japanese. She doesn`t look like she has Japanese blood, but she`s still very pretty. So MS, KY, and I had a nice conversation. After that, I just ended up talking to KY for a while, which was nice. I just wish I had been able to see TK...which KM had meet only moments before going to CCC. Oh well. Still, it was really nice to see all of the peeps at CCC again and meeting some new faces, including a Japanese Mexican girl, who comes from the same region of Mexico where my dad grew up!
I met up with Y-san last Sunday...
After the festival, I decided to stop by the Interenet Cafe to check my email and while I was there, I received a call from Y-san. He wanted to know where I was. Immediately, I got suspicious....and wondered why he wanted to know. Yet, something told him to tell him the truth. And it ends up that he was also near the eki and wanted to meet up with him. I still had that feeling of suspicion, but I agreed to meet up with him.
We ended up going to Hidaya, a delicious ramen restaurant that T, DT, and I would refer to as "the cheap place." I ended up having a really nice conversation with Y-san. He seemed to be genuinely interested in what was going on with me....and he was really good about talking in Japanese really slowly so I could actually understand practically everything he said. I don`t want to let my guard down...but I will not blow them off. I sometimes feel bad for doubting Y-san...I don`t know....I`m just to lonely to be doubting people right now...
Y-san told me that TK is not living in the room next to him! Before I found my apartment, Y-san had offered to talk to his landlady about living in that building, but there was no way I was gonna live in a place where you had to go outside to take a shower. But wouldn`t it have been wierd if both TK and I were neighbors? Me in my God-awful morning hair, running into him. "Uh....ohayogozaimasu...." and then, fighting over who takes a shower first!? lol! No, I have no regrets about the apartment I live in now.
More of that Japanese sublety...
As Y-san and I parted ways, I told him I was thinking about stopping by the Chit-Chat Club on Wednesday. He said, "Wonderful! KY will be there..." I don`t know if there was something in his tone of voice or in the momentary look on his face that suggested a figurative wink. Does he know something about KY....does he think I like him?? But anywayz...
At the festival, KM, NY, and A were leaving the Russian dance performance. They had just finished a beautiful (Japanese-go figure) song about spreading one`s wings like a beautiful white bird, etc. KM asked me, "So, wasn`t that a beautiful song? Did you understand it?" I said, "Yes, of course, it was about spreading your wings..." "They were talking about TK," KM cut in, trying to be funny. Without thinking, I gave him a playful punch in the arm. Seconds later, it hit me...why would he joke around like that? Was this a way of letting me know that he knows about my feelings for TK? I hope this makes sense....because if I were to disclose the play on words that he used, I would have to reveal names, which I don`t want to do.
After the festival, I decided to stop by the Interenet Cafe to check my email and while I was there, I received a call from Y-san. He wanted to know where I was. Immediately, I got suspicious....and wondered why he wanted to know. Yet, something told him to tell him the truth. And it ends up that he was also near the eki and wanted to meet up with him. I still had that feeling of suspicion, but I agreed to meet up with him.
We ended up going to Hidaya, a delicious ramen restaurant that T, DT, and I would refer to as "the cheap place." I ended up having a really nice conversation with Y-san. He seemed to be genuinely interested in what was going on with me....and he was really good about talking in Japanese really slowly so I could actually understand practically everything he said. I don`t want to let my guard down...but I will not blow them off. I sometimes feel bad for doubting Y-san...I don`t know....I`m just to lonely to be doubting people right now...
Y-san told me that TK is not living in the room next to him! Before I found my apartment, Y-san had offered to talk to his landlady about living in that building, but there was no way I was gonna live in a place where you had to go outside to take a shower. But wouldn`t it have been wierd if both TK and I were neighbors? Me in my God-awful morning hair, running into him. "Uh....ohayogozaimasu...." and then, fighting over who takes a shower first!? lol! No, I have no regrets about the apartment I live in now.
More of that Japanese sublety...
As Y-san and I parted ways, I told him I was thinking about stopping by the Chit-Chat Club on Wednesday. He said, "Wonderful! KY will be there..." I don`t know if there was something in his tone of voice or in the momentary look on his face that suggested a figurative wink. Does he know something about KY....does he think I like him?? But anywayz...
At the festival, KM, NY, and A were leaving the Russian dance performance. They had just finished a beautiful (Japanese-go figure) song about spreading one`s wings like a beautiful white bird, etc. KM asked me, "So, wasn`t that a beautiful song? Did you understand it?" I said, "Yes, of course, it was about spreading your wings..." "They were talking about TK," KM cut in, trying to be funny. Without thinking, I gave him a playful punch in the arm. Seconds later, it hit me...why would he joke around like that? Was this a way of letting me know that he knows about my feelings for TK? I hope this makes sense....because if I were to disclose the play on words that he used, I would have to reveal names, which I don`t want to do.
