Ichinomiya

Today I am at Ichonomiya High School in Sato Sensei's room. My Mom and Dad just called--thanks family!

Nothing else is new except that my internet access is still limited so I'll be slow at keeping up with replies to email, though I'll be updating here because it's more simple.

Nice event of the day

Today the teasing little breeze stole a woman's hat and threw it on the street as she rode her bike past me. I picked it up and gave it to her and we both went on our way. A minute later, she tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a huge delicious-looking Nashi (Japanese pear). I love Nashi, but the huge ones can be pretty costly, so that was a pretty nice thing for her to do.

Recent Events

I went to Toke High School's (where Ryan teaches) Bunkasai (culture festival) last Saturday. For Bunkasai each classroom or club makes or does something to sell or entertain. The choir and Taiko clubs put on concerts. Several classrooms decorated using a beach theme where you could buy hot dogs and cold tea or soda and sit in the class and relax. Some classes made haunted houses using black garbage bags to make tunnels in their classrooms. Many classrooms had Chinese or Indian themes and decorated accordingly (and wonderfully) to create a restaurant atmosphere in which they sold Ramen or Curry Rice. My favorite was the horror movie put on in one of the classrooms. Despite that it was a sunny day, the classroom was darkened using garbage bags. The movie was created and acted out by students from that class. It was about Toke High School being haunted. The sound effects and sudden surprise noises really made me jumpy. I was impressed.

Future Events
In about three weeks Brandon'll be here! Yay! Ryan and I have just fixed everything up for a 4 day 3 night stay in Kyoto. It'll be my first trip there and I'm kind of excited yet dreading the tourist crowds. It can be difficult to peacefully enjoy something like a beautiful temple when people gab and shove. It may just be another lesson in meditating my mind on Higher Things.

Things I've found entertaining lately

I just read the first two Anne of Green Gables series (thanks to Stacey) and am now almost finished reading The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis for the 20th time. I often wish C.S. Lewis was a still-alive grandfather-type in my life so I could chat with him. The Great Divorce is an enjoyable discussion of what seperates heaven and hell. It also makes me recognize the actions and behaviors I maintain here on earth, things of heaven that become twisted to resemble hell; behaviors I knowingly maintain which I excuse with the thought that they originate from God, although they may have become twisted beyond recognition.

An Exerpt: (this is kind of what I mean about behavior--but you have to read the book to understand)

"both good and evil, when they are full grown, become retrospective.... That is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some temporal suffering, "No future bliss can make up for it," not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory. And of some sinful pleasure they say "Let me have but this and I'll take the consequences": little dreaming how damnation will spread back and back into their past and contaminate the pleasure of the sin... And that is why, at the end of all things...the Blessed will say "We have never lived anywhere except in Heaven," and the Lost, "We were always in Hell." And both will speak truly."



I just finished Luigi's mansion, that game was really good. Still playing/enjoying Taiko Drum Master Tobikiri Anime Special!