NOT broken! Yes!@ ridiculous ramble

A dislocation... that's all! X-ray was negative! A purple toe, some awkward walking and a cancelled basketball practice and game later, I should be back in working order! Stoked on that! Yes! Exclamation point!

My original Japanese teacher, Hiroko-sensei, Jen's mom, bombarded me with Japanese in the month before I left to come here. That was over two years ago. I can remember clearly that I didn't understand much. She is visiting her parents in Nara now and she called me in the middle of her vacation to say hi. We spoke in Japanese damn near the entire time! From zero to conversational (despite some missed vocab... ok, a bunch of vocab) in two years.... DAMN. Nearly two years! Ahh.... this is the longest I've been in one place in ... ... ... ... well, since 2000-2. Damn. Feels like home... except that everything is still the exact opposite! Never gets old! Point is, before I lost track of the point, I think my Japanese is slowly improving, despite not having studied in three (gulp) months. I have been thinking about going to class again, but ... well, Mitsuo Aida says it best, "I'll do it later; I'll do it later; And while I sit here making excuses; the sun goes down." Today was the longest day of the year. For the next six months the days will be getting shorter. Albeit slowly, but I need it to slow down because getting up at 4:30am on Friday was ridiculous. Up with the sun is a hard lifestyle... but it hasn't been much of a choice. Blah blah blah! Awesome! Ramble ramble and ramble.

I am at a loss right now. I am loving life for the most part and excited to give it my all each day, except for that small irritation on Thursday at school when I wasted the day as a way of getting at the lazy fucker who wouldn't plan a class despite my planning the last dozen classes. Easier for him to cancel them than to plan something. Bottom line: students didn't get to have fun in class... and I didn't get to putz around with them. Pride got in the way and my innate sense of justice got the upper hand... at the kids and (lo and behold) my expense. I am practicing with the ego, but it is a challenge. If it were easy then it probably wouldn't be worth doing.

One a bitch note: I planned my trip to California and cut it short three days to make a meeting that was scheduled. So be it. Another committee member just planned a vacation- he asked to miss the last meeting so that he could stay longer. While I made a personal sacrifice for the group, he willingly and selfishly disregarded the group to get his rocks off. And, as I practice with the ego, I will smile at him and accept my feelings of irritation and see if I can let them dissipate into the energy field from which they came.

And I will be in California from August 8-25. I arrive at LAX and I reckon that Wayne and Reut are taking me to dinner. Whether or not this is true, I have no idea. But the 9th is Nick's Wedding in San Juan and then I have a couple of days to spend in San Diego. I believe the best bet is to get back to Irvine mid-week to prepare for the backpacking trip and to get all of my personal shopping done (for ANOTHER year on the island)... and suits fitted, etc. Week in the woods and a couple of days to pack up and beach up in OC. Its gonna go quick and I wont be able to see everyone. But i don't care. Selfish-sounding... I don't have a car, nor do I want to drive one all that much. Moreover, I am not that important... I have "left" my friends and been out of town (read: traveling the world) since... well, 2000? So, I may feel pangs of guilt... but I am basically going to the beach and eating Mexican food when possible. throw in the backpacking trip and the necessary shopping (and tie-raiding from Dad's closet--- hehehe) and that is the vacation for which I am leaving in another six weeks! Going to California with an aching in my heart, indeed! Oh, and I am walking with Charlie every day that I can physically make it up that hill! And him too!

Rambling.... fuck. serves me right for listening to DJ Tiesto at night... its like my own personal rave party except I have taken a break from dancing (which I certainly was doing) to dance with my fingers on the keyboard. Blah!

Camping this weekend was fun. I ran the grill last night... and fed a bunch of hungry drunk! And made the rotations... and took no prisoners and ... OWNED the grill. Fortunately I didn't have to prepare anything, I just got to cook and entertain when the drinking games had any lulls... which were few and far between. Thanks Baltzfag... Hey, "Phruck you!"

And I learned about an important technique that has changed my humor forever... It is called the "Dutch Rudder." If you know it, then you know it... and if you don't, then I will be happy to show you! Throw in a "Swiss Zipper" and an "iDutch" ... and you got yourself a ridiculous weekend indeed! I have to teach kids tomorrow! Ha!