Well today Im writing exhausted. A bad week of sleep, a rough week of work, an overzealous hiking trip, and a lousy festival with great chicken.
1st the week of bad sleep. As some of you have already learned I was denied a chance to work for the government sponsored JET program which hires mostly recent college grads for a chance to teach young Japanese girls in high school (which seems to me like a dangerous combination of personalities). Because of this I am currently losing sleep finding a different work opportunity that doesnt involve me learning the phrase "would you like fries with that?" in Japanese.... So I had a nightmare that poor ole Rob came for a visit because he thought I would be off, but as I was still working for the same weak job I have now I was unable to even pick him up from the airport which he slept in, Tom Hanks style, for two weeks before going home... sad. Hopefully this will not be the case Rob if and when you actually do arrive!
2nd, todays mountain. Called Monjusan this tiny mountain (only 1000 ft tall) is hardly full of adventure which I know as I have hiked it 2 times previously on leisurely trips that are relaxing and a good workout. Wishing to make the climb slightly more attractive I decided on an unknown trail on the way up. Well the unbroken snow told me I was alone on the trail for this particular day. Alone EXCEPT for the bear that I must have stumbled upon (but not fully roused). This was my first bear experience, and it honestly spooked me to death, but thankfully I never saw it... Just heard it grunting at me from somewhere off in the snow and trees. To prove I still stuck it out until I reached the top here I am alone in the fastest snapshot I ever took before I hiked down away from the trail I took up (bear avoision techniques), a detour of 2 hours.3rd, todays festival. Setsubun. Which is a prayer to prevent evil rom visiting on your life, so the procession usually involves kicking out priests dressed as demons from the shrine's grounds... but... I dont know about real demons... but these demons I saw today were wearing plastic suits and masks which remind me of those old peanuts halloween costumes which were just a plastic snoopy mask and grey pajamas. The highlight of this festival is after the oni (demons) are vanquished the priests throw mame (beans) at the crowd to eat... Im all for Japanese festivals but this felt cheaper than my elementary school play "Supernova" which was just a bunch of 10 year old students dressed in tie dye. This is not me just being mean, Chi literally apologized on behalf of all foreigners exposed to this sub-par celebration. Anyway.. heres a fat pic of me walking to the shrine with Chi, her dog, and her grandma... :P.. Chicken carnival food came after...
See you all soon... LOVE!!!!
I do realize I wrote nothing about Mayson... Maybe a picture to come! ^^
2 comments:
Hey Drew--
Did you carry your bear bell? Or are you the ring-a-ding-ding who's stumbling about waking bear from their hibernation when they are realllly hungry? It's not only ground hogs coming out of winter sleep you know. Bear zzz's get growly when they're interrupted. Grrreat planning.
Saw the Mayson tagline but did not see anything about your kitty in your posting...is he hiding in the closet beside our Kitmakit? Kitma was gone through the whole superbowl...maybe he was pouting because it was Eli not Payton getting the five pound super bowl ring. Anyway we had a junk food feast for dad and some friends. Hope you got to see the fabulous Houdini escape Eli made on 4th down in the last 2 minutes of play when he had a swarm of sackers around him and his receiver was totally covered...(They were down 4 points) the catch was equally fabulous...Hands up, ball to head and helmet, a backbend and a catch! They'll be reviewing that play for decades.
Things are very good here on Febuary 4th (Just took the second Christmas tree down...hated to...thought I'd string hearts around it and keep it through valentines.) I'm still deep into James Joyce's Ulysses. Went to UU today and had a pumpkin muffin at the Bakehouse. Saw Chris there with his folks...he's flying back and forth to N.J. every week for work. Had a very nice talk with your Dad on Saturday. Will catch you up on our plans for your luau at which Steve and I will be honoring you and Chi and the Tsukakura family the night before the wedding.
Much love to you all. I'm writing Chi tomorrow. Hugs, Mom
I'm at the airport!
I've been here for 13 days!
Oh well, gotta leave to go back home tonight!
Sorry you didn't get that job. But I feel like the female youth of Japan may be better off.
I keed, I keed.
I can't believe I'm gonna see you at the end of this month!
I've lost 15 pounds and counting. Now I won't be an embarrassment to you when I put on my Speedos for the wedding.
Tell Chi I loved the email she sent me. I haven't had many chances to get back to her.
Keep blogging!
-Bobs
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