recent stuff

the leaves are/have been beautiful. I have been traveling around (in my own town) to see Momiji and Haze in different places to see the reds. I even got some "modeling" pictures taken by a photographer who saw me and asked to take my picture- in some poses with the scenery. My fee was that he give me a couple of pictures after he developed them.

I have been hiking quite a bit... tomorrow, if all goes according to plan, will be the 5th hill in 4 weekends... I was gonna call it quits, but heading back to the local mountain with an old buddy. It is getting cold and it is time for snowboarding too. I am looking forward to riding this season. I just have to continue treating my body well.

That can be done if I eat right. I just got another batch of organic, local goodness and a new recipe for chicken soup/ cream stew. List of recently-tried food including but not limited to: Basashi ([raw] horse sashimi), sea cucumber, crab and whatever else I have tried during random eating parties over the past three weeks.

A bunch of friend here have added this as a link to their blog, so I will do the same... check em out!

Can you tell what my attitude is as I write this? I bet you can.

shots of autumn

(Like snowflakes, leaves have a tendency to land exactly where they are supposed to)

(Tiny momiji leaves have transformed and continued the ever-important life cycle. Again, landing exactly where they are.)

para reconocer el presente

Goodbye facebook, tootles blog, ciao time/energy-consuming technological “advances”…. Hello life. How have you been? It’s been far too long, really. It’s funny you know. I got caught up in the drama and you have been there laughing alongside me the whole time. I thought I heard a distinct chuckle, but I couldn't quite recognize it. But you stood by me, laughing, waiting for the time when I would wake up again. It’s funny because I don’t remember falling asleep, but I guess I dozed off sometime in between Chile and the United States. Or, somewhere in Japan? I can’t quite gauge the time frame, but it was a nice nap. And I have woken up and it’s great to rubbing my eyes off in the hopes of finding full awareness soon.

The moment, how I have missed you too. You are always there and you are always gone. But you last for an eternity, it seems so awkward that I have gone so long recently without noticing you. Without acknowledging you. Without accepting you… for the timeless clock that you are. But, I am beginning to see you. Not hold on to you. Not remember you in a previous form. But to accept you for your presentation in each measurement of time. Your forms are gorgeous, why didn’t I see this before? Yeah, holding on to the past… and thinking about your change in the future… I completely forgot/was sleeping/unaware to the present. Amazing. Amazing = you and amazing to be coming to consciousness to recognize you too.

Wow, these leaves were really pretty! And boy, does Eric Clapton really jam!

Are you off your rocker? Am I? Are we even rocking?

watching or dreaming? Asleep and awake

A little bit of both. On my walk this morning, before the sun came up, of course, when it was freezing cold outside, maybe not freezing, but cold enough that frost delicately coated the windshields of cars whose owners had yet to wake up and drive them to work, I was "being" and "walking." I was observing myself walk along the path, on which cars have enough room to maneuver around each other and me without dipping off the side into the irrigation ditches, in the middle of a space occupied by the summer rice paddies, which have now given way to brown patches of land and the occasional small patch of winter vegetable like lettuce. And the sensation came to "me" that I wasn't in control of the body that was doing this walking. "I" was busy absorbing the world as it was at that early morning hour. "Ohayo Gozaimasu," said the man who had approached me walking the other way. I don't know if he said it on this particular morning or if it was another day, or if he said nothing and I imagined it as my eyes caught him in the front peripheral vision of my awareness, but i responded in kind with the Japanese version of "Good Morning." Back into the world of drama and fun, I started thinking immediately. Having forgotten that I was awake, I went back to sleep on my feet as I was sauntering along, before sunrise, and dreamed about things to do and life to plan. And then I woke back up and shared a laugh with the self that I current embody and allowed myself to stay awake until I got back home and felt the urge to feed the body that had transported me on this seemingly magical, out of body experience. Then, I fell back asleep and lived the day that I have lived before, resting and having fun until the moment when i could wake up again and start to live.

life changing with seasons

it has changed... it is cold. NO kidding. I tell the kids in class that it's fall. But, I am throwing in the cards, its the beginning of winter. I haven't lived like this in a long time... maybe it was the winter in Tahoe, but then I had heating... so it must have been more recent... maybe August in Santiago, Chile. Being at the base of the western Andes during August almost killed me. But I knew that everyday it was supposedly getting warmer.

Here, however, I am aware that it is cold and that it's only getting colder! Problem is that November in Kurume is looking a lot like August in Santiago being that I can see my breath in my apartment (who needs heating anyways!) If it only gets colder, then I'll have to take days off... so that I can stay home frozen... and then head back to school when i thaw out! It sounds bad, but I am exaggerating as usual... I am getting used to it and learning how to live in colder weather... but I miss winter in the SoCal desert....

And, here it comes, (I don't want to admit it in public, but here it comes....) I am telling you the truth. Happy-go-lucky Dave has been rather down lately. Not just a little, but a lot.... (Here it is again, oy) Travel-savvy Dave has been experiencing a bad case of culture shock. (Ahh, you said it!!!, noooo.....) Being-away-from-family-and-friends-all-the-time Dave has been really missing the comforts of the known and the language he has taken for granted his entire life. It has been hard over the past three weeks and I don't know what caused it.

But it is a natural progression of how life goes... after months of ups, I consolidated my downs in a short time and it was difficult. the hardest part, however, is actually admitting it in a forum like this. People who may have never met me may read this and not know how to think. Friends of mine may wonder why I didn't consult them. And I may reread this and laugh or cry about my state now based on later happenings.... BUT, there is no way of knowing what the future may hold. It doesn't even exist but in our heads anyways... yeah, there are debts to pay, obligations to meet, holidays to celebrate... but they are never actually happening until they are happening. To plan for the future is important... but to live in the future is impossible and a rather cumbersome and drama-filled burden that doesn't actually exist.

What if a future or current employer reads this and changes their opinions about me. What if... what if... what if... you get it yet? I am not in fear, and I think that many people ARE! We live in a "free" age when we "can do whatever we want," especially in a forum like the world-wide web.... but we aren't free to share our opinions if we live in a state of fear about the "what if." We are perhaps even more restricted if we buy into fear and let it keep us from really posting our favorite band on myspace or our true thoughts on facebook. (yeah, I plugged em both- who cares). If we are too scared to express ourselves, what kind of space are we creating for ourselves? If we are holding ourselves back what kind of space are we creating for the future? That same future that we are so scared of... its almost like the current attitude of fakeness and fear is what we are actually turning into... not what we actually are! And to make it more personal again, replace all of the plural pronouns (our/we) with the first person pronoun (I/me). I extrapolated an idea that perhaps I alone have been feeling.

Where the hell did this rant come from? I don't know, but it came out and it's there and I am posting it. I have been down and now I am on a slight up.... in essence I'm just aiming for a steady middle... I think the fluctuations will eventually calm down to center....

I found an outlet for organic foods from local farmers... and I have never been so excited.

I have been hiking a bunch and hope to do some more.

My winter break is ready to rock and roll on the logistical side of things... less a couple of buses/trains. I will be buying new bindings perhaps and I should be ready to hit the slopes come five weeks from now- so long as I can get/stay healthy...

I had some other things to say, but the rant took most of my energy. Oh, I have written a couple of poems and have a couple more on the horizon too. Despite working, I have found time to work on the projects that really interest me....

Blah,

See you later, alligator (as I have been teaching the students lately!)

Rather, soon...

Plagiarism

All the world's a stage,
And the men and women merely players:
They all have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages, At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. and then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shrank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again towards childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

-Billy Shakes
from "As You Like It"

Hot and Cold

Hot during the day in the sun at least, and freezing at night, at least to me. Welcome to Autumn, though a teacher today claimed we are moving straight into winter after an extended summer (thanks GW... not George W, but Global Warming.... i can't help but think of that as more than a coincidence).

Sick and better and now sick again, but starting to feel better. My health hits the gamut, so does the weather... and the real reason for this blog, my experience an hour ago. I was asked to supervise a class, as the teacher was gone for the day. So I did it. It was awkward when I asked them to take out materials that they didn't have... because I was supposed to bring them! After 10 minutes and some searching all around, we found the stuff. And the students practiced their speeches in English, and taught me Japanese in the process too. This is after lunch and I am still in a food coma... but, wait, it continues...

Then, in the middle of the last period, i am doing work (for a teacher who has convinced me to do it for her) and two students come in and say they are supposed to have English class.... and they are! It got switched, but the teacher isn't there... so on the fly, I volunteered to teach... and got to class with a smile and a go-getter attitude. We had been discussing feelings, so I made them get up, get active and play "Feeling Pictionary." It was awesome... (I had played pictionary towards the end of the last class too) There you have it: Two in a row, on the fly and pictionary was the best wingman a teacher could ask for. Awesome. I was glowing, and of course I have to type it in my blog because its hard to elaborate in Japanese when I can barely describe what even happened... (but I did!). So here, it was one of the best feelings I've ever had, there i wrote it.

And of course, good feelings are strongly connected to bad ones... they go together, like hot and cold and healthy and sick. So, I saw two kids from my other junior high school at the vending machines while I was riding home... and they were buying cigarettes. Trying to be suspicious, but I saw them and they saw me too.

Later on the ride (DAVE, aren't you going to tell us what you did about the cigarettes?) I saw some elementary schoolkids... and they were playing with toy pistols... funny because guns are illegal in Japan. Period. And cigarettes are illegal for kids under 20 (same with drinking).

A two great uppers, based in the American English language and two dismal downers, based in American English culture. And me... and American English teacher... "Stuck in the middle with you."

I had to get that one out. What an "interesting" afternoon. Omoshiroi deshita.

(Am I going to finish the story?)

I finished the story.

Soon,

the will to live

an album and song by Ben Harper... true. but also a subliminal reason why we all haven't jumped in front of moving buses. Maybe its just that we don't have a friend who's good enough to push us, but I think there's more

Why am I here? What am I doing? Not right now, but in general? Why am I doing this? Why do I love/hate this? Regardless of the topic, these 'simple' questions prevail. And despite the 'answers,' or the lack thereof, we all have the motivation to keep going...

And that is what I call the title of this post.
(thanx W$)

Writing to write

After all, the only pleasure one gets while writing is the satisfaction of creating some words... you know, the familiar sequence of character, called letters, that, when put into a distinguishable order, make up words, stories and so forth. And when the time comes to write, at least today, I draw a blank. A numb blank that makes this screen look much more cluttered than it should be. I am going through the motions... never thought you'd hear about Dave, the vagabond/ travel junky going to work everyday of the week, even tucking in his shirt. And make it a habit? Yeah. Its true. And the worst/best part...? I am have been in Japan for three months officially. Pretty incredible when I think about it. I have been abroad for longer, but this working thing? Never for this length of time with this intensity. I have to say the following. I am privileged to go to work every morning and bust my hump. I had five classes today and yesterday and I am tired. I am tired. And you know what? It feels pretty damn good, I must say. I am happy to work... Here is the secret. Don't waste my time. If you schedule me for six classes, then that is OK too.... but if you make me go to an office to sit on my rump for 8 hours without anything to do, then you are wasting my time. This, despite my lack of energy to write or anything else for that matter, is not the case for me... I am working hard and its good. Did i mention that I'm tired? HA.... more to come, I have some travel plans coming up and it will make for some writable adventures and pictures.

I'm glad that Southern California is back under control a bit more, now I can wish my friends in NoCal some peace after their earthquake yesterday... take care, eh? And I love the Pittsburgh Steelers... keep on winning... And now that the NBA has kicked off, I can be a loud and rowdy (probably irritated very soon too) LAKER fan! Rock and roll baby! I'm glad that baseball still hangs on, you're trying to make those headlines.... but I am certainly glad you are done... enough already. I am rambling now... and going to bed before I hallucinate that I wrote such a horrible blog entry. Entertaining you since 1981 (I am that old!),

Mata-ne, ki-o-tsukete,
Dave

pix of Country Gold

Not a whole lot to write here, but I want to post some of Wendy’s pictures from our adventure at Country Gold.

Funny note about writing. If you write, “amazing,” then someone might actually believe you. What does this mean? I don’t know… I just read it and thought about how life-changing it actually was.

Country Gold: "Global Peace Through Country Music."

Enjoy the pictures:


(Ochida and I late in the afternooon)

(Wendy is toasting our friend, Beer-hat-guy. Yes, that is a frothy beer as his head!)

(Line dancing in the afternoon)

(Bomshel rocked out, notice the bassist in the back because he is in the next picture)
(Ochida and other homie pose with Bomshel band members, the ladies were somewhere else unfortunately!)

(shot of the stage in the morning)
(tailgating... Japanese style with Chopsticks!)
(Japanese cowboy parading his horse in the meadow above our tailgate...)
(Wendy and I met the organizer, Charlie Nagatani!)
(The best American Beef found on this side of the date line!)







It was a quiet weekend of questioning, sleeping, reading, thinking and... well... i didn't really leave my apartment... weird weekend indeed.

two weeks that flew by

So, I am way behind? Why did this happen? Ohh, I was super busy. And I had a bad attitude (for here known as Baditude) about my role here in Japan. Yup, I started having second thoughts about why it is that I am here. I didn’t really think about how I was caught up in my own drama and when I checked to see when I posted my last blog entry I couldn’t believe it. Sorry to let you down as a reader and sorry for myself that I forgot about my intentions. But, the most recent reminders have gotten me back on track.

(Rows and rows of Cosmos)

Last week… nope, TWO weeks ago… I went to flower arrangement class but not to calligraphy. It would have been a long week of Japanese and culture because on Thursday, like I wrote in the last blog, I would be going to Kora-san again, for a celebration of Okunchi- harvest-time praying and recognition for the sun goddess. We got there (Akira and I) and went up to the shrine which was opened up! We were able to go inside and take a seat on the floor as the ceremony was about to start. The priest blessed us and made offerings- I can’t really describe it, but it was awesome.

(So pretty)

I made it through the most important part of the ceremony when I realized that the sensation of sitting cross-legged (not even in traditional Japanese sitting style) was taking its toll on me. I stood up and it was all I could do not to fall over because I had no feeling from my mid-thigh downwards. Fortunately there was a pillar on which to lean and I crept out to the back without tumbling on anyone.

Then all sorts of musical performances ensued. Traditional Harp, two cello-like instruments a mini-piano. The ceremony ended and we enjoyed autumn foods, were served tea and desert (not traditional-style) and watched a comedy sketch, taiko (drumming) and various other performances. A long three hours of cultural bingeing. (Yes, that IS how you spell it.)

(up close...)

The following weekend, I went to a soccer game with my Japanese neighbors. We drove an hour to the stadium, speaking mostly in English, with an occasional Japanese lesson! I was able to understand the seven-year-old daughter, but unable to respond… makes me feel all-grown-up. She understood the English and was able to respond to my questions too… she should be able to- I was her English teacher a couple of weeks ago!

I am not too emotional (ok, maybe I am...) but sports get me riled up. And soccer especially. So when the referee called a penalty kick against my team, I was upset. I didn’t overreact, but I was loud in my seat. It was the second penalty kick, a couple minutes later, which was an absurd call. I stood up and yelled some words (in English) at the referee. He couldn’t see or hear me, but the fans in the stands must have though I was loony. I was, of course, the only one standing up- and I happened to be using a language that the majority of people don’t speak. So, I sat back down and laughed to and at myself for reacting in such a way. I would do the exact same thing again. And I would again laugh at myself for sticking out like a sore thumb. And laugh to myself that no one was doing the same thing. A good experience, though our team lost 0-3. Rough outing.

(Tamaki-san in the cosmos)

Hmm, on the stream of consciousness, what else do I want to post in the public arena? How about teaching at an elementary school out in the countryside… and on the way back, meeting up with a friend to check out the flowers… can you tell that I love those things? The pictures seen above are from Tamaki-san and my excursion in the Kirin beer factory's cosmos (Kosumosu) garden.

(not a bad venue for a music festival, eh?)

Instead of posting a blog, living patiently and calmly, and relaxing, I got caught up in some drama. I wasn’t aware enough to recognize it, so I played in the drama realm for the week. Looking back, it makes for a good laugh. Because, no matter how much I convinced myself that these opportunities/situations/goings-on were matters of life and death, they were unimportant and energy-consuming. Strike one!

(The stage from our tailgate- but we actually schlepped the grill up the hill!)

The weather changed the other day. And by the “other day,” I mean, one day, I woke up in a sweat, sprawled out on my futon in boxers, with a fan blowing on my face. The following day, I thought I was sleeping in a cold-food storage facility. My thermometer- which I though was broken, being always stuck on 28.2 degrees Celsius- read 15.2 degrees…. a drop of thirteen degrees C is a lot, especially for one day. Welcome to a cold autumn. Strike two!

(Japanese pampas grass, so pretty flowing in the wind)

Last weekend, I went to the Kumamoto Country Music Festival. Yes, not only do I like flowers, but country music also has a foothold in my heart. And in the States, you’ll find my radio tuned into Big County 105 more often than not. Wendy and I went, with the friendly Yakitori dude from down the street, at 8am and drove two hours south and east into the mountains to get to the venue. We met up with the rest of his crew and loaded in meat, beer and equipment for a great tailgate party. These guys, a bit older than us, are a Harley Davidson club, so a couple of times a month, they cruise around on their choppers. That’s who we were with… and yes, these folks DO exist in Japan… and yes, they ARE Japanese. Harley riders and country music lovers too. We arrived at 11am and were getting set up when Ochida-san threw us beers and the madness began. We enjoyed a great lineup. I knew I was in for it when they brought out the whiskey at 1pm… We danced and got to see the bands from the front row. Walking around and running into the other white folks who spoke English, we were able to meet some bands’ members, the Lt. Governor of Montana and miss rodeo Montana 2007. Drinking all day and cold evening chill. Strike three.

Three strikes, "I'm out!" I write this as I am out sick, after resting 13 hours last night… delirious yesterday at work, and taking a real sick day. I hope to get better soon, but this is yet another reminder to take care of myself. I have to bring peace to myself before I can bring peace to others.

(Charlie Holmes bluegrass band)

A note on peace. The organizer of the Kumamoto International Country Music Festival (Country Gold) is Charlie Nagatani and I had an opportunity to meet him too. His message: “Promoting International Peace through Country Music.” That’s when I knew I was in the right place. What a great way to bring smiles and happiness and peace to people’s lives. In introducing the famous English-speakers, noted above, to our Japanese friends was one way of doing this. And sharing cultures to breakdown barriers, is clearly one of Charlie's goals. So, yesterday, despite feeling awful, I managed to get to elementary school, the only message in my head was “bring as much peace to the world as you can today.” I made it through my four classes and then found myself delusional as I left school. I made it to the doctor and it was all blurry, but I know my mission was successful. And today, is the centering and bringing peace to self. Two reminders in two days of the importance of peace... it's the reason i am here... breaking down cultural ignorance and bringing smiles to as many faces as possible. Screw the drama, i am aware (again) of what's important, my mission in Japan and my mission in life.

(This guy ruins all of my pictures)

Wow, I rambled far too much today and didn’t write anything important. Sorry about wasting your time. I hope the next one is better. And to all of the friends and family and loved ones in Southern California, please be safe in these times of fires… pack your photo albums and don’t take chances with anything else… they are just material possessions- not as important as your well-being. May you go in peace.

Ki-o-tsukete,

more flowers and Nagasaki (long)

I left with you with a successful Onsen experience and flowers. More to report...

Regarding flowers, I was gifted a free ticket to an Ikebana display in Tenjin/ Fukuoka. At the top of a mall in the trendy shopping district of the big city... you think I almost got sick? Nope, the flower arrangements were absolutely awesome. Creative at times, traditional at others and beautiful all over. I will scatter some pictures to reflect what simply looks better in person.

(One of the 45 pictures I took!)

Later that day, I met up with a friend to hike Kora-san again. We had met two months ago, hiking on the same mountain. So, we hiked (now that my body is relatively healthy) and then bought tickets for an important festival, Okunchi, which I believe is a celebration of the sun goddess in the Shinto tradition. I'm getting ahead of myself: that one weill be the next blog. For now: Flowers, hiking and practicing limited Japanese and English... then...

I had the opportunity to visit Nagasaki on my last of four three-day weekend (I am still in shock about that!). Met up with Lindsay and Vanessa at 9am, dropped the backpack in my hotel room and we hit the city! I had a bed in my room... first one I've slept on in.... well, since the soccer tournament on Sept 16th... so, 24 days. I like my futon, but this was certainly a treat, AirCon too, would you believe that?!

(Short, but pretty, no?)

We roamed the city, after all it was a huge festival in the port town. Dragon festival, i think... or in preparations for the Okunchi celebration there. We followed floats and paraded to multiple stages around the city, watching the seemingly similar presentations over and over and over and over and... yeah, the pictures were cool.

(A team of rockstars pushed this float and spun it in perfect circles at high speeds!)

We made our way to the Glover Gardens, remnants of the Dutch influence in Nagasaki. The Dutch traded with the Japanese during the day and then were ferried back to their island/area so that they couldn't disrupt Japanese life (back in the day). The Portuguese influence is also apparent because Nagasaki is famous for Castella... a pound cake with a Portuguese name! And, lest we forget the Chinese influence... lots of food and the very dragon festival that we were witnessing! With lots of tradition, foreign influence and a unique port setting... rambling, Dave. Nagasaki was cool.

(A one-man float- awesome to watch this one!)

The most random part was getting smacked on the back really hard at 9:30am while munching on chicken balls and watching the spinning floats... This is an affectionate gesture made by friends; lo and behold, the people who sell me fruit, who practice English with me, with whom I practice Japanese, were there for the day! I saw them all over the city, randomly all day and it was funny every time. We were surprised to run into each other continuously, but it makes for good laughs at the fruit stand!

Vanessa and Lindsay took the next morning to themselves while I headed over to the Atomic bomb museum and Peace Park. Coming from a culture of comparison I have the urge to compare this place to another. Though the tool of comparison is helpful in providing jobs for political "scientists," trying to describe this area in terms of comparison is shallow and incomplete. I might even say that the Holocaust museum in Washington DC rings a bell, but death is death and genocide looks the same in all forms. In a flash: lots of people gone, fire, destruction and misery. I can't take sides as a historian, but I can tell you what happened in Nagasaki at 11:02am on August 9, 1945 was neither peaceful or pretty. But I can tell you that the motto I saw everywhere was one I have heard during this life as a Jew, "Never Forget." Truer words have never been spoken.

(This statue is at the hypocenter of the explosion- the epicenter was 100 meters above this point)

The Peace Park was lovely, lots of statues sent as gifts to the city of Nagasaki from sister cities all over the world in the hopes of always promoting peace. From places like: Brasil, the People's Republics of North Korea and of China, the USSR (this was a little while ago, no?), the German Democratic Republic (eastern Germany), Czechoslovakia (when it was under Soviet-influence and still ONE country!), and the USA. There were a couple of other statues too, but I didn't get to that side of the park because the sky finally rained on my head. It had been cloudy and humid for two days- it was just a matter of time. (a picture looking up at Suwa Shrine)

My blogs are generally facts, so here is a little bit of emotion for you: I cried, not a lot, but I cried in the museum. Not about the destructive pictures; not reading the facts about how the bomb detonated, exploded or had the cute name of "Fatboy"; not about the sicknesses and pictures that explosion victims endured. Even warped glass, pictures of decaying human flesh and memorabilia from people's homes didn't brought a tear to my eye.

But I couldn't hold it back when I read the testimony from an older man who was asked to reminisce about the event... when he was 9-years old on that fateful day. He told of having to lie on his stomach for three months as doctors treated the burn wounds on his back. The pain, the time and the tone of helplessness was apparent as I read about the mold growing under his stomach. He was unable to move for so long and the grossness that grew underneath him during his recovery time nearly made me faint. The clincher? The father who wrote a poem of watching his son and daughter die after he tried all day to get them treatment and help. He spent 10 hours running around a burnt city and both of his children closed their eyes as the sun set. His wife died next to him in bed three days later. All he asked for was death. All he wanted to do was be with his family. All he wanted was for this misery to end. I don't know if it was the loneliness or the sheer catastrophe that made this man so desperately plead for the end of his life. All I can tell you was that I cried.
(This is the main Peace Statue)

I don't want to end this on a downer, so think of this as an upper! I am just relating facts feelings and my take. To sympathize with others is important. It is the most amazing aspect of our species- more so, I think, than "rational" thought. But, as important as it is to feel for our fellow man, one must remember to separate oneself from the event as well. That way one can go on; one can share his or her experience with others. We can't dwell on the past, but we can learn from it and we must never, never forget. There is so much potential to bring peace to the world, and celebrating an atrocity by replacing it with a Peace park is certainly one important avenue to accomplish this possible feat. (Peace)

The experience was a reminder: every second of my life I should be bringing peace to the earth. If I am not using every moment to accomplish this goal, I must be aware that I am not and then work towards my goal.

Sooner than you think... I have my next one ready!

And we're back... Onsen, Hitchhiking

That's right... a lot to write. The passion has re-arrived... and I still can't find a comfortable position in which to write. So, I will sit here and write anyways, before I head off to another day of paradise at work... I am only supposed to teach four periods a day, but they cancelled one yesterday, so I will teach five today... yes, it is a lot of work... fortunately my teachers are awesome, and I know what I am doing already (we had time to talk about the lessons!) and I am fired up today... guess I must have woken up on the right side of the futon, unlike yesterday where I felt "blah" all day...

(My first flower arrangement, in Ikenobou Class last night)


Left you at the quick and dirty catch up. So, I will bring it back to life here~


I had met a Liat at Yom Kippur. She and I went to the OhoriKoen in Fukuoka in one of the last pictures you saw. Well, the following weekend we decided to meet up half way at an Onsen (hot springs). We took respective highway buses to get to a random stop on the side of the road... the craziest part was actually meeting up... she was on one side of the expressway and I was on the other. The thought DID cross my mind.... wait for a break in traffic and go... but the divide seemed sketchy and at that moment a Mercedes Benz flew past at a speed that I preferred not to think about my body being in front of.... it would have been like my winding up and kicking one of the pesky little dogs that seem so ever popular in Japan... you know the ones, the accessory dogs that bark and are treated like, well accessories, in their carry bags and they get yelled at like children... a miserable existence for a species... poor dogs, poor human beings... anyways... I enjoy my two now-working legs, so I found another way to meet her.

(in the vineyards!)


After 25 minutes of wondering through the countryside, we met up and walked together in the wrong direction to the Onsen... quickly we were corrected and given a map by a tollroad operator. So, off we set, again. A small jaunt of going-to-be 3.2 km showed us its rather long face... It was a lot further than we had thought. After 2.5 km of sauntering in the lovely humidity, we came to a sign pointing in the right direction of the Onsen... only 5.7 km TO GO!!! ahh, we weren't going to make it by foot.

When she originally asked me how we'd get to the Onsen, I said, with no hesitation, "We'll hitchhike." So, my suggesting it to her was not ill-advised.... but it was surprisingly nonetheless. I heard that Japanese are different than Chileans (go figure, generalizing and stereo-typing again, Dave). I can safely say that both people have traits that are similar and different (so politically-correct)... no really! I'm serious.

My hitchhiking efforts would have to look differently than the ones in Patagonia last year. So, one thing that I heard was that signs are good.... So I went to work at a sign, in KANJI and in Romanji (English letters of Japanese words)... and I held it up to the first car that came up.... so, after four seconds, Liat and I were on the way to the Onsen with the first car! We made a mixed-up conversation with out limited Japanese and our driver's English... but it was fine.... he took a picture of us afterwards and I gave him some crackers as a tribute. Success.

(us, with the sign that got us there!)

Onsen was awesome... just awesome. Boys to the boys' side and girls to the girls'.... and an hour and some.... and we had lunch before the long walk back to the bus. Stopped by a vineyard and got fresh grapes, by a shrine to pray for a second and then back to the road... I made Liat stick out her thumb, this time we were signless because we didn't know how to write the name of the place we were going. About a dozen cars passed quickly and then a nicer car pulled over with an older couple sitting in the front. After a minute or so, we found out that they live near to Liat... they offered to drive us all the way back there! I know what you're thinking: Yes, we spoke English with them because they wanted to practice!
(The same flowers from class, but I arranged them at home in my new vase!)


I know what else you're thinking, "Dave, you fool, why would you double your distance away from home in order to get a free ride?" Fair enough, but as it turns out the bus fare was the same price back to my house from the Onsen or from Liat's... and you know me, always up for an adventure (for better or worse). And, like Tim told me in southern Patagonia... "Never turn down a ride." So, back to Kokura we went. The day transmogrified (K.V.) from one of cleansing and renewal to madness and fun AND cleansing and renewal! From a short day-trip into an extended-day trip. The weekend took form and I even had time to accomplish errands AND sleep... "Finally," commented my body. "Finally," I responded. I was able to adventure and take the desperately-needed break I had previously mentioned.
(Whole Foods better watch out... competition... I had to take this one, normally I don't point out egregious word choice issues, but this one got me)

I was going to write more, but I will add another post... that way I can get pictures into both and not drain all of your attention in one swoop!


KiotsuKette Kudasai,

Dave

wasn't gonna keep it up, but i am

not for the sake of a chore, but to get this out of my system.

my body hurts. i am tired. I am wide awake and experiencing this. its not easy and its not easy to talk about, but I have to admit it. My stomach aches, reminds me of my hospital time in Chile... similar pains... i have been eating enough, maybe too much after two all-you-can-eats last week. I haven't felt the same since... maybe bad meat? I dunno. Legs muscles ache. my quad never recovered from before the soccer tourney, which of course, reinjured it. Wanna play with the kids and I limp and gimp around like a fool... irritating... but i guess rest is in order... its hard being a realist. Going to bed early and hoping to find the answers tomorrow... or rather, let them appear... hopefully i am aware enough to see the solutions!

Random entry... yeah, sweet.

catching up, rambling about attitude, and taking a break

Here are the quick and dirty's of the past little bit... mostly told in picture form. I am taking a break from this blog for a little bit too... It has recently been seemingly like a chore to write here, so I want to recharge my writing passion using other forms.



Yom Kippur in Kobe was a great experience... well-needed fasting and Jewish-community-being-arounding... wanna talk culture shock? Speaking/ hearing/reading Hebrew for a day and walking out of the Jewish community center to the world of reading/hearing and (not)speaking Japanese... wow.
(Shinkansen- bullet train. This got me to and from Kobe twice in the past two weeks!)

A junior high school sports festival... think color war and actual teamwork and group activities.... from 9am till 330. I thought my team had overcome a huge deficit to win second place after it repeatedly won 20-person running relays... but it seems that that was not the case. or maybe it was, but i just didn't understand. My team captains were crying at the end... but the winning team's captains were crying too. Teachers too... lots of folks... someone told me, "Sports Day, whether you win or lose you cry..." I think this is mostly due to physical exhaustion and coming to grips with completing a huge part of one's life for the months leading up to it.... its so overwhelming to be done that the winning and losing didn't even matter... how cool.

(Recently I was told that I cant have any pictures showing students' faces... invasion of privacy. Fair enough, so this is the blue team in the 30-person "3-legged race"... it was timed, it was amazing to watch the teamwork!)

Day of rest turns into an adventure into the big city. Liat emails me to inform me about an extra ticket to the Fukuoka International Film Fest... I'm a sucker for movies... had to go. Took the opportunity to go to Ohori Koen (yes, Drew and Jen... I made it!) before the film fest too. A lovely day in Fuk, even with the rain flirting to dump all day.

(Liat posing on the ____ [dont know what its called] in Ohori Koen)

Next day (Tues) back to Fuk for the meeting (more on this in two more paragraphs)... and the other posts describe the madness that went on from there.

(Another Sports Day shot: this is the huge team jump rope I told you about... the one that caused injuries galore... well, teams perfected it this day!)

Today is Thursday night, I am going to watch the women's world cup Semifinal between the US and Brazil... winner plays Germany soon... keep your eyes and ears peeled. I taught 5th and 6th graders yesterday... introducing numbers... it was a life-changing experience... awesome kids, awesome school and teachers and an exhausting day. I was scheduled for an extra class... nearly killed me but it was awesome. Yes- AWESOME! And today, I had 2nd graders... they were so small... and I made a spectacle of myself and made them laugh my walking into the top of the door frame upon my entering the classroom. I decided to do it all day too, to break the ice early. Haven't slept, physically exhausted, but I am awake and aware and smiling all day... unreal actually.

(The Narita-san statue is a great view on my bicycle-commute to school. Yeah, i take that road on the right!)

Leads me to a good point on which to rest for a while:

The meeting I attended was full of negatude. Folks wanted to leave early, the "too cool for school" attitude. Bitching, moaning, peanut gallery stuff. For three hours this went on. I could have easily joined it... i mean, settling for the lowest common denominator is easy and accepted. I mean, it makes everyone agree, so it must be right, right? Fucking (yes I wrote it) wrong, actually. You know why? Because agreeing is not always better. And a lousy attitude is a lousy attitude. If I accept negatude, then others will stay negative too. It is a shared energy thing...

I can't describe it well in words, but perhaps you've been in the situation where everyone looks right, even though the view is to the left. You look right too, because fitting in is easier- you don't feel like dealing with comments from the aforementioned peanut gallery... well, I'm done with it. I'm looking where the view is, and dealing with the comments... Not picking a fight or disagreeing to make a controversy... on the contrary...

Simply reflecting the happiness... And I practiced at that meeting too... with a smile. And you know what, it all just seemed silly after a minute of smiling... drama appeared, then melted out of my life and left me happy.... just like I had been going into it!


If I am physically drained and asleep on my feet and dead.... then I should be even nicer and happier, with a bigger smile... WHY? Because others vibe that smile, and smile back... and recharge my missing energy. The school day yesterday from another point of view....


After a draining day, I got to the elementary school and gave it everything... for 7 hours I was beaming and loud and excited and moving.... and by the end of the day, I left with a bigger smile and more energy, despite only five hours of sleep from the previous night... you know how I know it works? I got 5 hours again last night, rocked the classrooms again today and feel great!


Its all about energy.... the more I give, the more I get. The quality of energy I share is the same resonance that recharges me. It's not easy, but one is in the moment only once, so its important to make sure that energy is wisely absorbed/transmitted.

I received a gift recently. It was a scroll with the phrase in Kanji (Japanese characters):


"Ichi Go, Ichi E" -- One chance, one meeting.


This is not a Carpe Diem idea...



It is an idea that this moment is right now... It's true we may meet again, but this meeting is the only meeting we will have at this one time. I figure its important to recognize the intensity of each living moment and live accordingly... and, as written above, I have been choosing the energy route to do so.



Holy moly, I rambled that one away... can't promise another post anytime soon... but I do promise to be completely present in the moment I write... sharing as much positive energy as I can...



Ichi go, ichi e....



Soon,

Supposed to be an easy one...

Yesterday was supposed to be a more mellow day.... office for a couple of hours in the morning, take the train into the city, get lunch, regional meeting for a couple of hours in the afternoon, putz around the city and get home... well, it all started when I woke up... (normally it does, no?)

early- 6am: life is too short to sleep, And its OK, because I went to bed early (it was my Sunday after all!). Meditate, air out futons, wash dishes, blah blah blah... i even showered and shaved (not exciting at all, maybe it sounds like it is through)
812 leave house late
830 office
1020 leave, errands, lunch, bike to special bike parking grounds
1135 leave for city on slower train (22 min nap on train)
1220pm get to the city (Fukuoka)
1238 meditation at Ankukoji (?) temple before meeting
130 meeting- find out about lantern festival at major temple
500 leave city- head to Daizaifu temple for said festival
545 arrive Dazaifu, drink guava juice, buy shodo (Japanese calligraphy) materials (brush and ink block)
600 walk around the site, make offering to shrine
645 string quartet concert, 7-year old boy makes conversation in English with me, impressive!
705 head to main pond
715 meet Japanese woman (Yasuko) who wants to converse in English, so we do.
800 traditional dance, as an offering to the god of the shrine. light candles for good luck. wind blows out candles at my end of the pond, but the whole place is illuminated- really cool looking.
900 another prayer at the shrine. walk around the grounds at night with Yasuko, make plans to visit temple again, speak English with her more
916 train, transfer, train
954 arrive Kurume, get bike from station before closing
1015 Ramen meal at famous restaurant... conveniently down the street from my place
1020 meet a neighbor at restaurant, we practice respective languages... he teaches me Japanese and Chinese, I teach him English and Spanish.
1050 said neighbor invites me drink with his buddies
1100 drop my bike at home
1115 drink with said friends, learn important (vulgar) Japanese words
1220 get home

I will write more about whatever, including the last weekend, as well as show pictures... but I have to be home in order to do it. Total time on the fly yesterday: a touch over 16 hours; Total time awake: 18 hours; Total camera time: ZERO- left it at home... foolish.

Today: elementary school kids... gonna be entirely destroyed later...

Get at you soon,

A lot to write...

.. but fortunately not enough time to get it down:



Here is an outline for you in the days to come:

- Yom Kippur in Kobe
- Myojo Jr. High Sports Day Festival
- Another work Party
- day of sleeping that turned into an adventure

But this is a thought that came across my mind last night... There is a spider living in my bathroom. He is rather large, but we have made an agreement that he will live behind the toilet and will not bother me. I will use the toilet and not bother him. Problem is that he is making a mess, leaving all of his meals behind... and I will have to start cleaning up after him... I guess what this comes down to is my having to let him use the toilet after all! And you thought I was going to kill him? I didn't kill the random grasshopper that made his way to my throne... he is alive too... I had to encourage him to get out of the bowl so that I could flush though... and he is happier outside next to the basil plant, probably drying off.... eeewwwww, too many details!

And my basil plant, I thought something was fishy when it grew, but there were no new leaves... I figured it had been pollinated or fertilized or whatever (i know next to nothing about gardening except that i like it). So, there were a couple of nice leaves for me to choose from last night to add to my pesto... and it was lovely except there was an interesting aftertaste of mint! Because my plant was cross-bred with the mint that grows wild on the ground floor! So I have a "mintal" or a "basint" growing on my balcony. Wonderful and new!

La la la random... more to come... but work meetings call! Enjoy the day!

Soon,

Untitled

I have nothing to report right now that is super exciting... wait, that is a bad way to start... Let me start over:

So, I haven't stopped in 3 weeks. Like Drew's away message said, "I am like an electron particle, always moving!" Dude, from work parties to soccer tourneys to a week of work it has continued. I even picked up a couple more classes during the week, so I have been preparing materials, teaching and riding my bike to and from work. Filling in the time with shodo (Japanese calligraphy) and just the mundane things that keep us all living in apartments and houses and such- you know, the groceries, the Home Depot (called Gooday, here), the things like that. But I did ride my bike cross-town (with a busted open knee, still!) to get another round of discount tickets on Shinkansen.

I leave work early today to take the train to Kobe, again, to observe Yom Kippur. It will be a quick 30-hour fast/trip so i can get back here for one of my junior high's annual Sports Day Festival. All-day Sunday and then an after-party with the teachers... won't stop moving, can't until I get back from that party Sunday night... fortunately, Monday is a holiday. I have it on my agenda, "SLEEP." And that is taking priority. Period. Getting my body back in working condition:

Seemingly up all night, Rob Lowe is asked by Nick Naylor in Thank You for Smoking, "When do you sleep, Rob?" His response "Sundays." I get that.

Also, a thought by our friend Sylvia Plath (if you don't know her, then you should do some research), "We stayed at home to write, to consolidate our outstretched selves." I have not been studying Japanese as much as I'd like. Nor have I been writing creatively (less this blog) as much as I had anticipated. So, that will be 2nd and 3rd orders of the day on Monday... if i decide to actually wake up that is!

The whole point from earlier (I have ADD, I know it, I love it and I embrace it) is that I was super busy, running and "un-stopping" and I had finally taken care of my trains for this weekend and my stomach told me it was time for dinner. And I was wandering near the downtown, and there it was. A small Ramen shop... and I was the only one in there and it was fantastic. MORAL: No matter how busy one may think one is, the most important way to stay organized and moving is to take the time to eat a great meal... expensive or cheap, big or small.... Just a great eating experience... and to observe the food before eating it. and to take every morsel inward peacefully... it leads to bodily refreshment as well as mental clarity and outward patience and calm. Or maybe it's just me...

Anyone fasting or observing Yom Kipuur, take it easy and enjoy a day of reflection. Anyone else, please take it easy and enjoy a day of reflection.

See you next week

Pleasure and Pain

Last said, I was on my way to a work dinner/welcome party in one of the nicest hotels in Kurume... wonderful.. Sukiyaki.... cooked up in front of us, dipped the food (meats, veggies, noodles) into my bowl that was filled with a raw egg... talk about adding flavor and a couple of grey hairs (salmonella, ever heard of food poisoning?)... but fantastic... as the mantra goes: try everything. I was a cultural ambassador as my supervisor learned how to perfect the art of the Sake Bomb... a small cup of sake dumped (creatively) into a glass of beer... and chugged. Needless to say it wasn't a sober occasion. I went for a drink after the dinner too, but couldn't hang... went home and slept for 4 hours then got up, on my bike and charged full speed ahead, in the dark to the train station....

I left Kurume as the sun was coming up... 30 min to Hakata... then transfer to the Shinkansen (da Shink!) or bullet train... and no kiddin that thing moves quick. so convenient, so efficient... and i counted that each train can transport 1600 people at full capacity... and from Fukuoka to Kobe in just over 2 hours... unreal, i don't know the distances, but it is just a large number. An awesome ride, let me tell you. to Kobe, some subway madness to a bus terminal, all the while playing cell phone texting games with the group I'm trying to meet. they come running as the bus takes off and we are off to Awaji island.

Who? Why, the Fukuoka JETs football (yes, soccer) team. FGU! We had never played together... or maybe a couple of them had previously, but we were just a bunch of soccer studs who got thrown out on the field together. Lots of transportation (they left the night before on a water ferry) and we arrived at 10:30 for our first game at 11. I cant go into too many details or this will really drag... but here are the highlights:

10 teams, we finished 2nd! Lost 1-0 in the final on a goal that could have been prevented if the referee had actually blown his whistle on time to end the half... but, alas, the goal was counted and then he ended the first.

(the crew who lasted the entire tourney. yeah FGU!)

1-0, 1-0, 4-0, 3-1 on the first day.... I swear i assisted or played a role in 5 of those goals... but it is a team game, so it really doesn't matter. The last game i think i suffered a bit of a concussion... elbowed in the back of the head... and then was slurring words later, pupils dilated... i was suffering the signs and symptoms of a concussion. But as the game finished, I pulled a move that involved me playing behind my back and causing a breakaway... that i missed and my teammate finished... not bad for a messed up head.

Second day: I said I couldn't play... didn't want to risk getting a serious injury. Then everyone came to breakfast: broken toe, 2nd degree sprained ankle, bloodied shins and knees, concrete pillars as legs... you name it, someone had it.... so, we just pulled together and got er dun! I vowed not to head the ball unless it would be a game-winning goal. So, game two, we were tied 1-1 and the ball came in the air across the box and the clock was winding down. I headed that thing so hard into the back of the net that I was ready for any fate that might befall me... and lo and behold, i am ok as i write this (or at least the guy in my head tells me its ok for now). Two goals that game and some more assists as the day went on. Our defense was amazing- anchored by Paul and Eric... the three Japanese guys whose names I have written down on a piece of paper in the bottom of one of my stacks in the office, the Randal, our captain Matt Ho, Sam, Dan, Josh, Verge, Lee, and all of the other randoms who joined us from time to time to sub us out for a moment (we were only 12 by day 2)... lest we forget our outstanding keeper Ian. Our fabulous cheering squad of Taz and Lauren- thank you ladies! Oy, there is one more... i will remember who it was after i post this... and then i will update it!

injury-ridden, huge scars on both legs, head damage, muscle fatigue.... worth every second... amazing amounts of soccer and great play by everyone... what an honor to be a part of this squad.

doesn't end there.... straight to Kobe... met up with Colin (YES, finally!) who is a friend of Blake's from back home... rock on OC! His blog can be seen as a link on mine. He was much taller than I thought, but an awesome dude... and he introduced me to Kendall and Lauren who also took pity on my limping, gimpy stature... we went to dinner and then to a small concert: featuring the Boo-boos (see Colin's site) among others. Jamming out in Kobe, needless to say... we made it back to Kendal's and had a sleepover... 4 of us on a floor without enough space for at least 6... more next time! They are awesome and I hope to see them again too... if only Lauren wasn't going home in three weeks, ahh! take it easy girl. Kendal, better apply to JET! And Colin, well you are here for awhile... I'm finding you again soon! second awesome crew in two days. wow.

i was going to go to Kyoto early on Monday morning... HA, i couldn't even walk. So, I limped towards Kyoto with Colin much later... and then got there... met Robyn and her friends for a vegetarian lunch at a famous temple (can you tell i am tired writing this?) and then back to the train, to the station, shinkansen, train, to my home station... then the 25 minute bike ride home on muscles that were concrete! just exhausted...

wake up: first day of school at a new school. another Japanese introduction for teachers; speech in front of the student body (315 kids in uniform), an extra class scheduled first thing; lots of errands to run after school- another shink ticket to buy (yes there are cheaper ways to travel, but my schedule is insane--- i am listening to a crazy fast progressive trance mix right now... ahh, rambling on!) ramen at a small restaurant on the fly, dry cleaners, the usual fruit stand stop and saying hi to the neighbors! Time to write, minimal. Time to play harmonica, non-existent. Time to sleep? not really. Loving life? Can't doubt it for a second.

Every moment is so important. If i check an email instead of wash a dish, then perhaps I have wasted an entire lifetime. Whether I peruse a magazine instead of studying Japanese, the moment is gone forever once it has passed. There is no time to waste doing stupid shit (really trying to stop cursing): creating drama, no time; worrying about logistics of people meeting people, can't afford to use energy with it; not giving every ounce of energy into every thought and action... impossible. I don't know how this ramble makes sense, but maybe the following paradox might help:

Every second is so important that not using it wisely is death. Furthermore, that second has to be of completely undistracted by future and past seconds that have or may occur. But being attached to that second has got to be the silliest use of it.

If you have read this all, then hopefully you don't feel as if your seconds have been wasted.

Gotta rest now. If I am able to wake up tomorrow then I must make use every second that I am gifted.

Danger at school

i will be going away for some three-day weekends... so i will be kinda MIA... for the next month or so... but here is a thought i had at lunch today:

It is so dangerous for kids here in Japan. It is a game that really should be banned. They play it, but I saw a girl with that gash over her eye. Not a small flood of red falling from her brow, either. And the dude who couldn't even walk... his ankle was pretty badly sprained. The matching black eyes on the two older guys and the multitude of bandages taken to the first-year students... on elbows, and knees. There was even the guy with the crutches... they ought to stop this, but it seems as if it is actually celebrated and encouraged. I really feel like an outsider now. I am on the fringes of understanding this. But I never thought group jump rope was so dangerous! No kidding!

Have a good weekend, I will attempt to play soccer without hurting myself any more than I already did in the training process (sore muscles... and really out of shape). Good luck!

celebrated Rosh Hashana at school by offering apples to dip in honey to the teachers... and the vice-principal even explained it for me in Japanese... they were a hit. Sweet (yeah, to say the least, "amai" in Japanese)

l'shana tova,
mata-nei,

A shorty- Rafting

Have to write something or I won't write anything. I went rafting last Saturday for the first time in a while. I realized quickly that it wasn't going to be a very hard core rapid-oriented trip... so i kicked back and just worried about having a good time. That, as opposed to getting ready for a good back, flank and arm workout. In fact, because we were 9, we had to take turns NOT paddling and i fully embraced that by sitting on the front of the raft for an extended period of time. We got up at 5:30am and hit the road to get to the rafting place near Kumamoto by 8... and got off the water before 1pm. Afterwards a couple of us went to Onsen... hot springs, Japanese-style. Relaxing, refreshing and repeatable (struggled for the last "r" word there!)... nakedness continues, in yet another country!

(group posing on the raft!)

During rafting we capsized the boat numerous times, jumped off of a huge rock into the river and even had a chance on the rope swing... my backflip failed as i landed on my head... but i did manage a near perfect backflip off of the raft. That was sick! Just like snowboarding, like writing like anything- you gotta go for it and commit 100% and you will make it. Second-guessing (like i did on the rope swing) leads to failure... but dedication and acting like one is in the most important (last, whatever) moment of one's life results in perfection, happiness and nirvana... I have a lot of work to do on this.

(Quite the lineup for a second of weightlessness!)

One of my JTE's (Japanese Teacher of English) is into great music- she visits Mississippi every year for a blue festival- and she lent me "Postcards of the Hanging" the Dead covering about an hour and a half of Bobby Dylan's bests. So, i will jam away as I post this blog. Loving life, ups and downs.

(Floatin' in the drink!)

L'Shana Tova... Happy Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)... may your next year be filled with sweetness, joy and happiness!

Kiotsukete kudasai (take care),

Dave

In the classroom, soccer and first frustrations

I started on Monday. The speeches went well in Japanese… funny because I don’t even speak it yet. But the speeches went over well, maybe ‘simply’ is a better way to put it. On Tuesday, I was tossed into an elementary school to teach/ introduce myself in English. I was asked all sorts of questions from my shoe size to my favorite Japanese food. Then I had lunch with my “homeroom” of 5th graders and they tried to break down the recess plans in Japanese… eventually we figured it out. So I played dodgeball, in my wool pants and white shirt and tie outside in the sun. Not a bad costume for 95 degree heat and 100% humidity. I am getting used to it… and I even made some amazing dodges…

The past couple of days, I have been with my “home” school, Myojo Jr. High. It is awesome! An older building, but with lots of character… and you know me, I love that. I have taught a bunch of the first year students so far and will work with the second and third years next week. Lots of self-intros coming up and even more questions. So far I’ve only been asked twice if I am married. I show the family picture and students are astounded that Jake is only seventeen years old…
And the best part is that I introduce UCLA as there place I studied- and I have been teaching the 8-clap to all of the students! More Bruin fans, exactly what the world needs!

I am a cultural ambassador, a live-tape recorder and a reminder to speak English. I get greeted everyday by numerous students with, “Hello,” and then a bashful run-away. I get inquiries about (school) life in America (they don’t call it the United States; here it is “America”). My favorite was when I told how them how many days of summer vacation we have… they told me 40 and then I told them 80. It was the loudest “Suugoi”- wow/awesome- in unison that I had ever heard. And now I recognize the word. I also represent the US to my co-workers: in the board of education office, at my various schools and at the bars. I have to be a good example in all of these places; this leaves me no time to be anything less than fired up always- working and partying hard. (Complicated sentence, huh?) I even got "do you believed in a balanced diet?" when my desk mate saw my lunch of friend chicken and rice. On all the time, even in the down time.

Yesterday and today, I played soccer with the school team. I asked if I could practice with the students. The teachers appreciate my involvement and the students get to practice their English too. And I pick up some Japanese schoolyard language that will certainly be helpful. It gets me in shape and I love it that I have touched a soccer ball three times this week. I am playing in a Sunday night “league.” A bunch of us run around in a short-sided game. And, I also bought my bullet train tickets (long adventurous trip into the Japanese language) to Kobe (like the Bryant)… so that I can play in a JET soccer tourney. I will be playing for the Fukuoka prefecture team. Being back into the junior high, I might as well be playing soccer on multiple teams and play everyday of the week; it is a flash to how the past of what used to be!

I had a moment of frustration when I suggested a new exercise to the soccer coach, I think he shrugged me off, laughed and commented to another coworker. It's hard to be patient always because i am not understood. It is hard to be the one that everyone knows "doesn't get it." It's hard not fitting in and feeling it. Its hard not speaking the language. but this is a stepping stone. It is not easy, nothing is... it takes time and patience... and effort and caring and effort and... yeah... If my life is easy, then I get pissed off. If life is hard then I get really pissed off... but then I work on it and, get better and enjoy life even more... like it's been said, "You have to learn how to crawl before you can walk," or maybe it was "You gotta walk before you can crawl." Either way, it's all about waking up in the morning, giving it my all and learning and teaching.

Living everyday to the fullest. Giving the body a run for its money, but not abusing it. Working the mind and studying without cramming too much and losing information. Bringing peace to the world and finding it for myself too, patiently and one step at a time.

Kiotsu Kette Kudasai (take care),

So Much to Say

I put on probably one of my favorite all-time albums to write this short (probably long post). Dave's Crash and you know what song plays first, "So Much to Say."

What's better than having one of the most complete and fulfilling days of your life? I got one: Receiving a small note, a tiny postcard, from a great friend who had the thoughtfulness to share some of the beauty he saw in the world in an exact moment... moving along.

Today was the first day of school. Props go out to my upstairs neighbor Praju, from India, who helped me translate my speech into Japanese. I managed to successfully speak it in front of the staff room and then again in front of the school. Lots of people, and it felt good, real good. I'd say "natural," but i read it in English romanji, as opposed to Japanese characters... but that will come soon. Or later.. It will arrive sometime.

I had lunch with two teachers, and dinner with another three. I even got invited to the house of a a random woman that I met at the fruit stand. she wanted to practice her English probably, but I just couldn't make it. However,I did learn more Japanese today than i did in a month kicking it around the office. I was waiting for this... to get thrown into the mix where the majority does NOT speak English. As the Japanese value education, they are into learning and teaching... so my life in Japanese and English revolves around this basic principle of enlightenment. Which brings me to my next point.

Teachers are underpaid. They are public workers... servants if you will. And the majority of people earn money privately and don't want to give publicly (ie: pay taxes). Thus, teachers' salaries will always be too high as far as the public is concerned. And teachers always feel that they work too many hours off the books (ie: grading papers, doing after-school stuff) for the pay they are getting. this battle will go on in all modern societies and hopefully one day the average person will feel that giving is better than receiving and teachers will earn the money they deserve. and the taxpayers will get their money's worth out of the system. Eventually it will work. This leads me to the next two points:

1) from an earlier thought, I am stoked to jump into the deep end of the Japanese world. Bring it. Like my friend Vinnie wrote on his blog, I too have been pulled between partying and getting involved in my new living-culture... and I am choosing the latter. fortunately for me, Vinne figures this out these important ideas a day or two before me and the I can just copy his example! Keep blazing trails baby!

2) I will be one of the poor teachers who feels that he should be earning more for the amount of work he does. At this rate, I am not concerned about money or time. In fact, this description is inaccurate... Suffice to say, what I mean is, I am a teacher, I feel it, it seems right and I'm just suited to do it. I value education and peace; money is just a by-product of doing something that I would do for free. Any money I do acquire can just keep my travel habit going... and remind me to live a modest life. The coolest part about being a teacher is being a student too... i receive a free education everyday... in life, language and love. I am blessed to be able to ride my bike to work everyday. What else do I need? (Besides good weather- as that will make riding a bit more difficult... and with typhoon season coming up....)

OHH and the whole reason for this blog was a statistic that came to mind as I share a bit of my life with a Japanese teacher, Shibata-sensei, with whom I will be closely working. she asked if I cook for myself and I said that I did, when I had access to a kitchen... and that has been... hmm, how often?... long story short, I have slept outside thirteen of the past 36 months. Since graduating college, I have slept under the stars or in a tent, on the ground, exposed to the elements in both hemispheres- a third of the time. I had a hard time accepting it... and then I laughed and it made me realize why sleeping on a thin futon on my tatami mat floor feels so goddamn good.

I bought and arranged the some flowers on Friday. One of the lilies is beginning to wilt, but another one opened today... and it seems that this will occur again tomorrow. Flowers are beautiful... and such good reminds of the peace and amazingness in the world... and a reminder of death and life in the same being:




Mata-nei,

Deciding to Live

I am exhausted. I haven’t slept in a week and I was going to do it early tonight so I could get some rest... not gonna happen because I want to get this out:

I woke up this morning and decided to live. I was tired, slightly hung-over and already sweating from the humidity. Actually I was woken up by a phone call to go to the beach (thanks Wendy!). I was out late and hung up and said I was going to stay home. After ten seconds, I realized that I had to wake up. I had to go to the beach (yes, again, I love it there!)... I woke up and ran with it… and all day. And sometimes it was slower, others faster, some were stressed moments and others relaxing vacation-style ones.

I am putting this on my blog because it is a reminder. We all wake up hung-over (sometimes). We all wake up irritated at an alarm (sometimes). We even get phone calls to arouse us from slumber. Sometimes an obligation. Sometimes a fun activity to do. Another popular excuse is “for work.”

What if you woke up one day and smiled and shot out of bed because you were so excited to be alive? Because you were excited to go to your job, to do your best, to learn something new, to face mundane frustrations, drive through the daily rat race, enjoy the sunlight on your face as you sipped on a morning java at the local coffee shop because you left yourself a couple more minutes? (Ramble, ramble, ramble)

What if you woke up to wake up? And then work was just another thing to check off of the list along with a morning run and picking up the dry cleaning? An interesting way of looking at it, and a way to separate oneself from energy-draining drama too…

Like I wrote, I woke up this morning and decided to live. To be awake, aware and to react to what was presented to me. I accepted the goods for goods and bads for bads and then let them pass through me as I passed through the world. What if you wake up tomorrow and decide to live? What if everyone decided to live when they woke up?

Happy September. It is nearly the start of the next Jewish year. It is a time to start anew, even for non-Jews. It is a reminder to live. Schools are starting (I begin teaching on Monday!) and students are beginning a new life. It is the time for living, for waking up and for being excited. In fact, every second is like this. Are you living? If not, there is only one thing stopping you.

You have to wake up and decide to live. Are you ready?

Planning ahead? who, me? WINTER BREAK

Yeah, that's right... planning vacations and maximizing life.... of course there will be some random trips in the upcoming months... but here is an idea for winter break. I post it now (though it will change, of course- dates, places, times, etc... IT'S JUST AN IDEA) in order to share with those of you who might find yourself interested.


(Gorgeous Tahoe Day)

DATES:
Dec 22-Jan 6th

PLAN:

Fly into Sapporo (like the beer!), Hokkaidou- far northern island of Japan. Perhaps I can get a discount for my domestic Japanese flight and up to three other friends on a possible JAL birthday discount... if its not in the blackout period.

(Dad on the X-country sticks at Lake Mary, Mammoth)



Hokkaidou snowboarding/skiing in:
-Niseko, "one of Japan's prime ski resorts" at Annupuri Ski Resort (western Hokkaidou)
-Rusutu, northern Hokkaidou
-Tomamu, eastern Hokkaidou



Train a bit further south to Yamagata prefecture (northern Honshu [main] Island):
Mt. Zaou- another awesome ski area

(all powder and no trees, makes for great Andes slopes, right, Doctor?!)

Nagano is another idea (home of the 1998 olympics)

-Happo-o-ne Ski resort

-Shiga-kogen

(what are you waiting for? Get in that pow pow!)



And, unfortunately, all of these slopes have local onsen to go with them... thermal hot baths...

Typical schedule looks like:
8:29am- wake up
8:30- hit slopes
16:30- stop riding
17:00- after-ski (drinks, duh!)
19:00- onsen to relax tight muscles
21:00- go to bars
before Dec 22, after Jan 6: Sleep


(Me looking like a girl with long hair as I hang on Eze's shoulder in Aspen-Snowmass!)



ideas for New Years: uhh, downtown Tokyo, in Shibuya. Or, at the Dewa Sanzan, on the peak of a mountain near Yamagata, spiritual retreat area. Seemingly opposites, no? What else do you expect from me?


Yeah, I am thinking about it and saving money, its gonna be a pricey one. There will be crowds- lots of people- but I think it will be bearable. I am thinking about it, alright. I am thinking. And i am acting soon.

(Me on Super Bowl Sunday 2006 in Mammoth! Yeah Kordell!)


You in? d.strich@gmail.com

[ps: missing pix of Whistler and Banff, Canada and Chamonix, France- I only real ones, no digi ones]