No, Really, I Am an American

and all I got was this lousy cold…

Has anyone else noticed how incredibly lax these posts have become as of late…or is it just my wild and crazy jessi-head? I mean, it’s been pretty well established that my perception of things may or may not be deemed “a radical interpretation of the text”.

The point is (do we want her dead?) hopefully this post will make up for it.

I have been unusually busy, I mean, more than just work and stuff. And let’s be honest people, I can’t with any respect to the profession call what I do “teaching” — I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, I’m simply fascilitating the pronuncation of the English language. I will be off probation at the end of the month, however, thus making me eligible for shortcourses. Hopefully, they’ll let me teach some of those; at least then I can pretend I teach.

I can’t say that it’s been horrible. I’ve had good lessons and I’ve had bad lessons. I have even had what a mythical three-way no-show. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, they do in fact exist. Last Wednesday I experienced such. People have worked at the MM for years and have only heard of this phenomenon. I also had a M2M cancellation last week. So that’s TWICE in one week that I have had a “free period”. ‘Twas quite interesting. It certainly gave me time to continue my dislike for The Three Musketeers. (I really gotta stop griping about the book already.)

I had a great lesson this past Sunday about music. I knew the chap knew what he was talking about when he said, “I used to sing contrabass in choir.” My music side was thrilled, if anything, because I knew this student would understand. He further impressed me when I showed him the picture of the “orchestra” and he said, “It looks like orchestra…but there are no strings.”

I grinned and said, “Thank you. You’re the only student to ever notice that. We call these either a ‘wind ensemble’ or a ’symphonic band’. The only people to know that this isn’t an orchestra are people like you and me. I should write a letter to Nova.”

Honestly and truly, aside from my job, I’ve been somewhat social. I mentioned briefly that I went to Kyoto last week, and yes, all I really got out of it was a cold. But I plan to go again in the near future. We also hope to go to Nara and see the deer — I’m told that they are feisty creatures in that part of Japan, bold things that like to eat maps and rummage around in unsuspecting people’s bags. Maybe we’re kin.

I have also decided that I want to go to Okinawa. I apparently have a cousin stationed there and it might do some good to meet him. I am pretty sure he is from the Rueda side of the family, although, with my family, I can never be too sure. London has also become a destination I will return to. In my recent independent phase, I don’t even care if anyone comes with me or not…I’m desperate to go back to the British Museum and not only satiate my fighting spirit by drooling over the armory but also to appease my faux-intellect and salivate over original manuscripts. I can’t rememeber where the vellum of the Exeter text is located, but IIRC, the British Museum does house a page or two of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Come on people…it’s on vellum! Pffft. Chris O knows where I’m coming from on this one. So nyah.

Who wants to meet me in London? (*grins in Al or Denise’s direction if anything because we all three have airline connections*)

I am making friends…I’m still a little daunted by this fact. The crazy-jessi part of me is disappointed by this fact if anything because it puts my writing and Buffy viewing on hold.

I haven’t seen too much of the United Nations as of late, although Natashia and I may or may not meet up sometime this week, but I’m not heartbroken by this fact or anything. I was incredibly uncomfortable around them as it were. My sparring buddies are becoming potential game/anime friends. Jacob and I have already begun viewing “Scrapped Princess” and there’s a possibility we will watch Shoujo Kakumei Utena together due to all the bouts we’ve been having. This is more my desire than his, but he said he would be willing to “acquire” said series. *grumbles irritably at self for not being able to bring those tapes with me*

I seem to do my travelling with Braden and Tiara, and every Sunday Helen and I frequently meet to have noodles together. I still hang out with my roommates plenty of times and due to my combat gang, I am meeting some more people on the floor. I will be starting my Japanese class soon (I hope) and as soon as we set up a time, I’m meeting one of the French instructors for a language exchange.

Beyond language study I hope to maybe continue in my pursuit of becoming part of the Batclan…I mean, of pursuing other combat techniques. I am still undecided about kendo, since the armor will most likely be expensive and I am not fully convinced it’s a style I wish to learn. Braden may be able to set me up with some Muay Thai lessons, but it depends on if the fellow he knows.

What can I say, I like to keep busy. Of course, this SERIOUSLY throws a wrench in my writing scheme. We’ll, of course, see how much of these plans actually materialize. With my track record, all these ideas will end up not unlike our summer list. (Thus spoken in jest and good-nature.) And people wonder why my goal in life is simply to own a Golden Retriever.

There’s this part of me that is heartbroken I have not lived up to my potential prostitution venture, what with the drinking and sleeping around…wait…no I’m not! So I haven’t done any of “those” things like I said I might…I guess the person you all know and loathe is far more dominant than the questionably slutty jessi you all hoped I’d become. (Hehehe…I said “dominant”…oh God…did I just say that? I must be channeling Mark and Rich. That’s so funny.)

I’m on a Wicked kick again. It is currently in the player.

I am considering investing in an iPod. But if I do that, I will undoubtedly invest in a speaker system of some kind thereafter. That’s just how it would work with me. Anyone care to comment on this prospect and whether or not this would be an adventagous venture or not?

The YahooBB people are supposed to come this Friday and install the router or whatever. I hope this will solve my John issues…otherwise…no, I dare not voice such concerns. John is fine. John is great. He’s fine…he’s amazing. *pats John’s monitor affectionately*

Japanese observation: the people in this country have a thing for long-haired Dachshunds — I have seen no less than a dozen in my two and some weeks of living here.

It’s Hanami Season (”cherry blossom viewing”)…but the weather has been pretty miserable that it really hasn’t been good for viewing. I went to Osakajo-koen yesterday, better known as Osaka Castle Park, and took a few shots of the blossoms that were out, but even that was less than stimulating. I hope that as the weather clears, there will be better opportunity to take pictures. There’s only a week left to ‘em, so I’m told.

My parents are re-doing the kitchen. I’m not sure how I feel about this yet. I mean, aside from our non-functional oven, I think it’s a great kitchen. Then again, I’m not one for change. (This from the girl who picked up and moved to another country.)

All right. How was this for a long post? Now, there are no less than THREE quotes in this post — if you can identify them by title of show, name of episode, and who uttered the line, you will have my esteem and possibly a shiny nickel.

Stay tuned for more exciting misadventures of a novice English teacher in Japan!

Point of interest: Due to typing on a Japanese keyboard, I occasionally try to use “shift+2″ to try and type double quotes ["] and “shift+7″ for an apostrophe ['] — wacky, desu ne?