First Ever Car Accident

So after 12 years of driving, I've finally gotten into my first accident. I'm fine, the other guy is fine. Both our cars are fine. My left headlight is smashed and he has a nice black streak on the side of his car. He was also the nicest old guy ever, thank god. I think he was trying to hint that I should run off, but I insisted we call the police >_>

So two cops came, a young one and an older one. The older one was a total dick and yelled at me every time he had to talk to me. In Japan, if you are a foreign resident, you get an ID card that has all you passport info plus you current info (Where you live, where you work, ect.) If you have that card you don't need to carry your passport around. So the older cop asked for my passport. I told him I didn't have it. He started yelling at me that I was breaking Japanese law. I told him I had my Foreign ID card and that it was supposed to take the place of my passport. He then keeps yelling at me that because I am on an International Driver's license, I need to also have my passport with me. Because I don't have a passport on me, they will charge me with driving without a license. Which will equal hefty fines and possible deportation. Dude I hit was gently trying to tell Older Cop that he wouldn't be pressing charges on it and can't we let it slide, to which Older Cop told him to mind his own business. I also got in his face and had to be held back at one point because he was calling me really ugly racial slurs.

Then younger cop was inappropriately flirting with me the whole time >_< The first question he asked me was "Are you married? No? Yay!" O_O He then pointed out we were the same age and when he noticed the little mummy I had hanging up in my car asked me if I liked Nightmare Before Christmas. When I said yes he told me it was his fav movie >_> He then told me I was pretty. Time and place, dude. Time and place.

So my boss came to save me. We went to the police station. They photocopied my international drivers license and my ID card. I then had to go home and get my passport and bring it back to them. Older cops attitude seemed to have mellowed a bit. He told my boss to make sure I got a proper drivers license ASAP. Because they are still letting me drive around everyone is cautiously thinking that maybe they will drop the driving without a license charge. God I hope so. I so don't need this shit right now. When younger cop handed me my passport back he told me to carry it with me while I was still on my International DL. "Do it for me." Dude, WTF. I refuse to believe I'm that hot. Shoo.

On the way home my boss bought some expensive cakes (She wouldn't let me pay for them) for the guy I hit. We went to his house where I gave them to him and told him again I was sorry. He told me he was glad no one got hurt and I think he said he was willing to claim more responsibility so we'd get a break on the insurance >_> Then my boss bought me some expensive cakes. She said when women are stressed they need sweets. We then went out to dinner where I stole the bill and treated her. It was the least I could do.

And after all this they still want me to work there...

My Day Off

Today was a holiday. I can't remember for what, but I never turn down a day of not working!

I went with my boss to an African Drums concert. She asked me a few days ago to go but I told her I didn't have the money. Tickets were around 3000 yen ($30). She told me not to worry about that and come, so I agreed. She called me this morning at 10am to tell me where to meet her so we could car pool to the concert. Since we hadn't talked about it since I had wondered if she had forgotten. I still wasn't sure if I would have to pay my own way or not, but decided a day of culture is well worth the money spent.

I dressed up really snazzy: platform shoes and a short-ish skirt. I completely forgot that her car is a jeep and really high up. I hope I didn't flash people too badly getting into it. >_<

We picked up two of her friends (One of which is an older student whom I adore. The lady that made me my lovely compact and cell phone case!) and went on to the concert.

At the concert hall we were in a room with no chairs. We were expected to sit on the floor. I looked down at my skirt and made a ;_; face. I have sat through long hours of enkais seiza-style, but they are never ever fun. One of Boss's friends was an older lady and she said she didn't know about me, but her knees couldn't take sitting on the floor, so she asked a young man to kindly fetch us some chairs. Yay to old ladies!

The concert was wonderful. Even if I had had to pay my own way (I didn't) they were worth every penny. The band was made up of two gentlemen from Guinea, a lady who was half, and their three Japanese friends. My god the show was awesome XD I loved the songs they sang and the two ladies danced wonderfully. Everyone looked like they were having the time of their lives, which is what every performer should look like when they are onstage.

Afterwards, Boss dragged us up to have our picture taken with them. I got a nice ego boost when one of the guys knocked the other one out of the way so he could put his arm around me for the picture XD Well worth dressing up. (I know I come across as horribly vain in my posts half the time, but you have no idea how much I need these little boosts to my self-esteem. I need to be reminded that even though I am getting older, I still got it!)

I Got Bitten by a Student

GAAAAAAAH!

Today was just a horrible, no good, very bad day >_<

I had the student from hell. He's a second grader and should know better. He's also the oldest kid in that class, all the rest being 1st graders. I had him last year too, so none of this is a "OMG NEW TEACHER!" thing.

Well, he kept acting up all through class: messing with the other kids, interfering with the game we were playing, and not sitting properly in his chair (Another teacher had a student break a chair by messing around in it so I am very paranoid about it.) I kept telling him to stop it and even the other kids were like "Dude, you're older than us. Act your age." I threatened to take his sticker from him (Each class the kids get a sticker to put on their attendance card. When they get so many they can get a prize.) and he did the "Oooooh, I am so scared!" thing.

I finally had had enough and just took his attendance card from him and told him if he was a good boy I'd give it back. He hit the roof. At first I just played keep away from him while calmly continuing to teach the class (I got complimented for my poise by the other children.) And then he got behind me and pulled my hair. Hard enough to yank my head back. I grabbed his wrist and told him he wouldn't do that kind of thing to me. Then I took the sticker off and told him if he sat down I MIGHT give it back to him.

Nope, that didn't work. He then tried to get the sticker from me, pulling up my sleeve and clawing at my arm. I finally got my cell phone out and threatened to call his mom. He then tried to snap my phone in half! I then had to try to wrestle my phone from this kid who was trying like hell to break it. I kept asking how he thought his parents would react if they had to pay for my phone if he broke it. He finally settled on ripping off and breaking all my cell phone charms. Only one survived >_< He also bit me. I got bitten by a 7 year old. He so should know better.

I ended class early so I could go down with them and wait for his mom. He tried to run away from me, but I caught him. He then decided to apologize to me, but too little too late bud! I called the office and told them what went down and asked them to talk to his teacher and to his parents. I made sure to do this in front of him. His parents pulled up and I realized I was still so mad I was shaking and it probably wouldn't be a good idea to talk to them right then (I had an image of me throwing my cell phone charms in her lap and screaming 'look what your son did!' Or if I did keep my cool, I'd end up snottily asking if there was something wrong with him mentally and suggesting he get checked out.) So I gave him a nasty smile and told him "Wait 'till the office calls your mom!" and went back upstairs to teach my other class.

I had to go to the office after work and show them my cell phone charms and have them look at my phone. They have to keep the charms to show his parents if it becomes an issue. Also one of the ladies at work makes jewelry as a hobby and she told me she can fix my Arashi (A band I like. I got the charms at their concerts)charms. Thank god. Those were the ones I was mourning the most!

I am still so furious at the little shit. If he did have something wrong with him mentally I would be more understanding, but I know he doesn't. He's just a spoiled little brat. And I am sure he's going to get nothing more than a slap on the wrist at home if he even gets that!

Also I am loving the other kids in the class which were my "bad" kids last year. They kept on playing the game calmly while all the drama was going on. One girl even offered to bring me the cell phone strap she got at Disneyland to replace the ones that were broken. I apologized to them after class that they had to sit through that and didn't get much of a lesson. They told me that they understood and were sorry I had to go through that and that they hoped my day got better. Awww.

Blah

I think my scale is lying to me. If it is I think I'll cry. I didn't weigh that little when I was in high school even! Thank you OCD that makes me jog every night to combat my anxiety issues!

I've also just realized that over half my hard drive space is taken over by things Doctor Who related. Me? Obsessed? No!

I think I'll slink out and get some grocery shopping done. I don't work until 8pm tonight and thus don't know what to do with my time.

I was going to go the driving practice place (You have to memorize the track before you can take the driver's test to get your license. Hence the practicing.) but it's windy as all get out and it's $40 a pop. I am also having problems setting up a date for the real test because the Japanese DMV says I need a document from the Tennessee DMV only the Tennessee DMV says that they don't know what the hell the Japanese DMV is talking about >_> So I don't really want to waste $40+ on taking practice runs if it turns out I can't get a license at all. And if I can't get a license at all, it means I'll probably have to look for a new job come September because one of the requirements for this job is that I can drive. (Am now using an International Driver's license which is only good for one year and non-renewable.)

Corrupting the Young

I spent the day reading Catcher in the Rye to five year olds O_O In my defense, they didn't understand a word I was saying. Some of the girls were poking through my bag and came across said book. They were impressed that it was entirely in English and that I could read AND understand it! >_> So they begged me to read a few lines. And then they begged me to read a bit more. And then I ended up reading the whole chapter to them.

I asked what they were getting from it, because my kids are good but they ain't THAT good. They told me they like how I read. I totally get it from my mom. We don't just say the words on the page we read them. We act it out. When a character is angry, we speak fast and harsh. When they are contemplative we speak slow and hesitant. You subtly change your voice for different characters. I remember being so sad when I was too old to have my mom read me bedtime stories because she made them so entertaining. I'm glad to find that I have the same talent that she does. They also told me my voice was pretty. Aw. Look at the little rascals trying to worm their way into my heart!

(And I did give the kids the roughest of overviews on what the story was about. The G version.)

Wheee 久しぶり White Russians for the win!

First Party! I Am All Kinds of Grown Up!

I had my first ever house party on Sunday! I finally have a place big enough to have a party in ^__^

It was only five people over and was a welcome/birthday party affair. I bought a cake for it and felt ever so grown up. My two really good Japanese friends, C. and M., brought over an okonomiyaki cooker and all the fixings for it. C. brought over a friend of hers (I think she was trying to get her set up with J.) The guy that moved near me recently, J., came with a co-worker of his.

There were a few awkward moments at the beginning where no one would talk to each other once J. arrived. (We had been squealing over a KAT-TUN concert DVD before he came over >_>) Then my newly found hostess powers kicked in and I started brokering conversations. "Hey, L. is from Canada! You used to live there, didn't you C.? Let's talk about it!" And then everyone loosened up and it was good time.

The food was wonderful and the look on M's face when we brought out the cake (and set off the little party poppers my mom had sent for my birthday.) was worth the $30 I had spent on it.

Stupid People

Japanese old guys suck. I just had some guy come to the door trying to sell newspaper subscriptions. As soon as he saw me he goes "Oh, you're foreign so you can't read newspapers." Which really upset me because I left reading my Japanese NOVEL to answer the damn door. I usually just smile and nod and quickly shut the door, but his assumption just really pissed me off so I told him "Actually I do read the newspaper, in Japanese, only I read it online."

This gave him pause. Then he asked me if my husband was at home and could he talk to him >_< I read the bloody newspaper! Not my non-existent husband! He then decided to go on with his spiel that if you signed up for a newspaper subscription you got free stuff. I told him no thank you, but I think he thought I was really refusing because I couldn't read Japanese. He was giving me very patronizing smiles. Grrrrr.

More Musicals

Hmmm Am I crazy enough to try to get tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar? They are using kabuki makeup for it XD I really should be trying to chip away at my debt...

Ah, Kids

I had a fun little conversation during class last night. I was with a group of kids around 8-10 years of age. We were learning countries. We show a bunch of photos that represent the country and then reveal which one it is. I showed them the photos for America, one of which was a dollar bill. They asked why money always had "old guys" on it and I explained that they were usually dead presidents. One boy proudly told me that he knew that the current president was Obama. Another told me he knew that the former president had been Bush. Then one girl asked if Bush was on any money yet, him being dead and all O_O

I told her that Bush wasn't dead. He just wasn't president anymore. No one believed me. "If he's still alive then how did Obama get to be president?" "He was so OLD!", ect. I told them that a person can only be president for eight years (Yes, I am over simplifying. I am not going to try to explain electoral procedures to 8 year olds. My sanity depends on it.) and then we have to change them. So Bush got replaced by Obama. At the end I still don't think they entirely believed me -_-

Saiyuki the Musical II: Dead or Alive

I went to see the second Saiyuki musical yesterday! They did a proper tour of it this time so I could see it in Osaka, which is a lot cheaper and easier for me to get to then Tokyo.





I was almost late to it. I was doing really well until I had to get on the Osaka Loop Line. I looped on the wrong loop, so had to jump off and go back the other way >_< As I was running for the other side of the tracks I did get a wonderful compliment from a little girl. I was wearing my black lacy skirt with the silver roses all over it. I heard a tiny voice yell "きれい！ママ、きれい！” (Pretty! Look Mama, pretty!) I glance behind me and there is a little girl of about 5 pointing at me. "She looks like a princess!" She then added. Aww. That made being almost late all worth it!

I made it to the station where my friend was waiting for me with saint-like patience. We made it to the theater with enough time for me to use the restroom. Which ended up in another semi-disaster. I left my ticket in the stall so had to wait outside of it like a complete pervert until the person inside of it got out. All the other stalls were empty too. I got weird looks. (No, it has to be THIS stall! It's the magic stall! Mwhahaha!) I got my ticket and made a run for our seats. We got there just a tad before the lights began to dim.

The Main Cast

Warm. Why is it Warm?!

I have the windows wide open and a fan on me. It's pleasantly cool in my apartment right now. I refuse to start up the air conditioner until it's really REALLY necessary. I just wish my apartment layout was flipped so my living room caught the really nice breeze from the mountains my front door gets.

There are two children in the parking lot below my balcony intensely cleaning something. I have no idea what it is, but they are having fantastic arguments on the proper ways of going about it. They are keeping me entertained.

I had lunch with a friend after my morning classes. She had to talk with the parents while I taught the kids. They are a good bunch of children, just I'm not up to their unlimited energy and kleptomaniacal ways so early on a Saturday morn >_<

But lunch was nice. I hope my friend realizes how much I like her. I think she misreads my expressions sometimes. I want to tell her that I am just shocked she likes spending time with me, not a hesitation on my part to spend time with her. We had made plans that I would come stay a night at her wonderful house in the mountains during Golden Week (A nice, long weekend of national holidays). She looked at the calendar and asked me to stay three days. I was like "Really?! Three days?! Wow!" And then she hurriedly told me I didn't have to spend all of them with her if I had better plans. It wasn't that! I was just flattered that she wanted me that long! I told her I'd live with her if she'd let me. I would gladly get adopted by her family! They are awesome people!

Company Trip

I looks like we've decided on our company trip. We will be going to Korea. It was a choice between Korea, Vietnam or Bali. We would have had to pay some of our own money to go to Vietnam and Bali and we'd get money BACK if we went to Korea, so Korea it was! I am glad because I was rather nervous at the prospect of going to Vietnam. Everyone I know who has gone there has gotten really horrid stomach things. Do not want.

Now I have to try to see what I want to do in Korea.

eep

I just had the lovely experience of translating my driving records into Japanese O_o I think it might be a good idea to get someone Japanese to look it over before I turn it in to try to finagle a Japanese driver's license...

Strawberry Fields Forever

I met up with some former co-workers (I-sensei, A-sensei and Y-chan) to go on another bus tour. They are really fun!





We went to Lake Hamamatsu, which is in Shizuoka prefecture (East of Aichi). We had a lovely lunch at the lake touristy center and then drove on to a Flower Park. The purpose of the trip was to look at sakura, but it's been unseasonably cold this year so only a few trees had them peeking out. We did get to act like total lunatics in the hot houses though and that is always fun. The Yatter-man dance was performed at one point. That's all I'll say.





We then got back on the bus and went to the other objective of the tour: All you can eat strawberry picking. We filed into a hothouse where we were given a plastic tray and a strawberry dipping sauce and then told to have at it. We frolicked among the plants for about forty minutes and ate so much we got tummy aches. The strawberries were delicious! Especially with the sauce. Y-chan was very systematic with it. Her mother and her had figured out how many strawberries she'd have to eat to make the tour price a bargain. She did it!

Pics of our misadventures can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=232434&id=783800566&l=3d8bf08762

Once we got back to Nagoya station we had dinner together and then parted ways. I really miss working with them and I really miss working at a place where there are outings like that. I got really quiet towards the end (some of it was the three hours of sleep finally catching up with me) and the other part was having to go back to my "world".

I promptly went jogging when I got home and that helped put my head back in place.

And I need to realize I can speak Japanese. I did nothing but from 8:30am until 9pm! I am sure my wording wasn't the most immaculate of grammatical concoctions, but there was mutual understanding!

I think I'll have to lodge my own complaint to my friend's Ministry of Weather. We had several days of pure spring loveliness and then we got another cold snap >_<>_< I really hate not having a dryer!

And this isn't just a little on the chilly side. This is "I can see my breath and am shivering because I have to use my thinner coat because my warmer coat is damp 'CAUSE I WASHED IT 'CAUSE THE WEATHER WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!" cold.

Step One

::Gulp:: I just sent in an application to the really famous Japanese language school in Aichi for private lessons. I really need to get my Japanese up to snuff if I ever want to get a some what grownup job in it. I will also be starting the rather daunting look at grad schools soon. Blah.

The Poor Thing

One of my favorite boys broke a chair today >_< The classes are at a kindergarten so all the chairs are the little tiny toddler sized ones. This boy is a bit on the hefty side. All he did was sit in the chair for about five minutes and it broke on him. It wasn't even like he was rocking it back and forth or anything. He was so embarrassed. After that we played a board game where the students had to answer English questions. All the answers he'd give were along the lines of "I wish I could lose weight", "I'd go on a diet". He's normally such a vibrant, enthusiastic little guy. I just wanted to hug him and tell him it was the flimsy little chair's fault but I think that would have been worse for him. I hope he bounces back and this doesn't traumatize him.

Lovely Sunday

Had a lovely day out today! I went to visit a friend OUTSIDE of Gifu. I finally left the prefecture, yay! I never thought I'd say this, but I really miss riding on trains. I forgot how relaxing it is to read while someone else worries about getting you to where you need to go. And I got to wear my new gothy dress!

We had lunch at a delicious gyoza place. We amused the other patrons by talking in a language that was distinctively not Japanese ^__^ It was wonderful.

We then did two hours of karaoke. I need to get the name of one of the songs she sang. The video was awesome. It was about a woman confessing her love to a rather frightened man and then being really creepy with him and appearing out of nowhere in his apartment.

I had a wonderful time and realized that it was the first time I had laughed in a very long while.

When I started the train ride back my stomach started knotting up again. I guess I can't go through a whole day without my stupid worrying. But I called my mother and she made everything all better again, which is what moms should do ^_^

Weird Dream

I dreamed last night that I was leading a group of friends through Tokyo. Yet again!(I seem to do it once a year) I was having my normal being-the-hostess-in-a-strange-country anxieties, making sure everyone didn't wander off and get lost, ect. And then I woke up.

And I was completely devastated. My first thought was "Oh my god, I woke up and left them alone in Tokyo! They're going to hate me!" I actually had to spend five minutes combating hysterics by telling myself that it was only a dream and I hadn't really abandoned my friends in a big, scary, foreign city >_<

Just Thinking

I wonder if hot milk with a bit of whiskey will fix a sore throat and fever? Let's find out!

...

Well, it's not as vile as I thought it would be.

I've realized that Neil Gaiman and Tori Amos will always be the constant loves of my life. They've been with me for 15 years now and sometimes I go long stretches of time without thinking of them, but then I turn a corner and there they are again and it's like no time has ever passed between us. They've gotten me through really rough patches (High school! Yikes!). I remember going through a really dark time a few years ago. I was walking to catch the train with my headphones in and Tori Amos's "A Sorta Fairytale" came on. It was a really perfect spring day (rare in Japan) and I thought, for the first time in a long time, I'm so happy to be alive, walking in the sunshine, listening to her lovely voice.

I will also have an everlasting love for Nick Cave, but he's sort of like a scary uncle that you love, but don't remember why, who calls you up for long, psychotic, rambling conversations that last into the wee hours of the morning and give you nightmares...

A Greeting

Hello all! I've decided to start up a public blog. As such I won't delve too much into the sordid details of life, but can give updates now and then to those who are interested.

For those who don't know me, I live in Japan. I have lived here almost five years now as an English teacher. I spent four years of that five working in High Schools and now work for a private foreign language school.