Woke up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head…

Well, if I had a comb, I would drag it across my head. My hair is in dire need of a trimmy-trim-trim. I took a shower and ventured into my day. Teaching class all day is what I was looking at. I tackled it with gusto and had fun doing it! I played with the kids at recess. We played on the monkey bars and I tried some stilts. They are a lot harder than they look! After lunch, we played the cops and robbers game and it was boys against girls. Since the whole school has recess at the same time, it was really hard to keep track of who I was supposed to catch and who was just playing during their recess. After a while we switched places and the girls chased the boys. This was easier to figure out, as far as what I was supposed to do. I just had to run from any girl that was chasing me. I was faster than any of them but they had stamina. I would just give up after a while and relish the rest I got in “jail”. A few more classes and then it was time for the waiting game…

Everyday after school I get to play the waiting game. Classes end at 3:30 and I get off work at 4:30, so I have an hour where I get to look as busy as possible.

Yippee for me.

After elementary school I went to the junior high to practice break-dancing with the two junior highers. They were occupied with auditions for the upcoming Bunka-sai, so I stuck around and watched. After the auditions we practiced a little bit, but I think we need music to give us a beat. I went to the store and got some blank cds to burn some breakin’ music to, and I got some “spicy” curry.

I don’t know, if I buy the spicy curry, the one that says it is 10 out of 10 on the spicy scale, I expect spicy that is almost inedible.

Spicy in Japan is not spicy.

Last night I watched “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. I posted on my Facebook upon finishing the film regarding my disappointment at the lack of gore. I figured a “chainsaw massacre” would be a blood bath; a 16 gallon film. The viewer gets a lot but they don’t gore. The film was interestingly done and I enjoyed watching it, as a piece of film history, but I have seen scarier. Thinking back on it, most of the victims were vanquished with a hammer; only one person fell victim to the chainsaw. I think “The Texas Hammer Massacre” isn’t as catching for a title, so the producers probably changed it to highlight the more interesting, yet supplementary, secondary role held by the power tool.

I also found the film to be slightly amiss in the placement of blame. First of all, in Texas there exist laws allowing lethal force to be used on persons trespassing upon privately owned property. Secondly, the initial “victim” was in Leatherface’s house without being invited, nee he wasn’t even an acquaintance. Subsequent “victims” arrived in the house on their own, again without even knowing Leatherface, nor asking permission to enter the premises. Besides the fact that Leatherface was waving a chainsaw around, he was really just surprised and upset there were so many intruders in his home, and therefore not in the wrong. If he could talk over the sound of the incessant chainsaw, or if he could speak at all, he would probably be saying, “Oh, my! What are you doing in my house? I don’t know you! Please leave!” Instead we are given a warped version of the story where the owner of the house is painted in an evil light.

I learned a couple of things tonight while watching Japanese T.V.. I was watching a “I can’t believe what I’m seeing” show. They show fantastic footage from all over the world to a panel of people. The point is to show the clips: accidents, animal attacks, disasters, to the panel and they chat about it. Having people watch stuff is a popular T.V. format in Japan. In almost every show there is a picture-in-picture of a head watching what the audience is watching. They don’t have to talk, they don’t even have emote, they just watch.

Back to me.

I learned I am a big softy. There were two clips involving animals that made me sad.
Clip 1: a gang of buffalo beat up a lioness. They head butt her and throw her around until she barely limps away. She looked so hurt… It was tear-jerking.

Clip 2: a lion had a guy by the arm. His liony mouth was wraped comfortable around the guys arm and the lion wasn’t really moving. Other people started poking the lion, trying to get him to release. Instead, the lion bite down on the guys head, as well. Nestled nicely in the lion maw was the guy’s head and arm now. The lion started to back up slowly, dragging the guy with him. Now the other people decide to start shooting the lion. All shots hit and the first two seem to serve as a maddening agent for our lion friend. They shoot him a few more times and the lion goes down. Then my tear ducts start up again. The lion wasn’t dead, just dying. It lays there; writhing in pain, moaning, all while the people tend to the guy who has just been pretty much regurgitated recently. They don’t help the lion out with a final bullet; they just let it suffer to death. Why was the guy so near a lion anyway? Leave it be man, it’s bigger than you and looks cooler with it big head of hair than you do with yours.

Speaking of lions, these two reside in the elementary school front entry way. I asked why they took up residence at the school, and I was told no one knows.

Oh Heyyyyyy!

I also learned Japanese television doesn't censor what is said in other languages. While watching a clip from America involving a tornado, the person filming the disaster uttered a few four letter words, including the BIG one. I don't think any one noticed but me. I'm calling the FCC!

Make a funny face, I take your picture.