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.