December 7th

Happy Pearl Harbor Day. I had a short discussion with my JTE about what this day honors. She concluded it's the equivalent of Hiroshima Day in Japan. I guess that's fair enough.

Seiun

Seuin Jr. High School is where I work, and these are some pictures of the legendary chugakko.

Boku no Kanojo

This little sprat in ichi-nen-sei asked me if I have a girlfriend. He is full of energy and enthusiasm, always disrupting class with jokes. I responded, "Hai, anata wa boku no kanojo yo." This roughly translates as "Yes, you're my girlfriend." He got a kick out of that.

Short Battleship Story

So we were playing battleship in one of my classes with Yoshi Sensei (I have changed her name to protect the innocent). Yoshi Sensei explained the phrase "Hit and Sunk". A student, the wildest and most entertaining student in the class, shouted, "Hit and Yoshi dead!" I couldn't stop laughing. This student routinely disrespects the teacher, and this was just another notch in his belt.

Note: It is very disrepestful to address a teacher without adding Sensei or San after his or her name.

Revisiting Osaka

On November 22nd I returned to Osaka to watch a concert. The band was Underworld. The venue was Zepp. The experience was amazing. Of course, I have no photos of that, but in honor of said amazing event, I'm belatedly posting photos from my trip to Osaka in late October with Kathy, Robbie, and Lisa. Most of these you haven't seen.

And in case you're wondering, yes I did get unbelievably drunk during the concert weekend and have sworn to never drink (in excess) again.




Apparently this is a statue of a famous comedian

Too cool for school


A Good Luck Charm

The most popular crab in Osaka

The Glico man smiles down upon us


And he keeps smiling into the wee hours of the morning


Taiko drum arcade. Coolest thing ever


Pachinko! Japanese gambling - terrible


Some Osaka fashion


More Osaka fashion


And even more Osaka fashion



Just can't get enough of that fashion


Really, was this fashion invented for my amusement?



Ramen - good stuff


Now we're all doing the Glico thing


Triangle park in America Town


Yum




Outside the Hello Kitty Store


The Osaka nights



These girls call themselves Lolitas


Some karaoke thrasing


Kathy and I



Who's that handsome, sweaty devil?

It's been a long, long...long time

I'm back. I wish I could say I'm better than ever, but it would taste a lie. Last Thursday and Friday I taught at two Japanese Elementary Schools, or Shogakko. Quite a good time, I must say. Here are some pics from that day.








I appear respectable sober, don't I? I'm sure there's a million and a half other things I should say, but I think I'll save them for later.

Oh, it's goddamn cold here.