The Pittmeister's Parade Around Japan

Leaving....

2008-02-16T14:07:00.002+09:00

The suitcase is packed, the apartment cleaned, nine boxes have been shipped for a cost equivalent to a round trip ticket to Australia, and the keitai has been reduced to nothing more than a camera. This all adds up to one thing; I am leaving the Inaka in less than 2 hours. One romantic weekend with Kozue in Tokyo at the Hyatt Regency in Shinjuku and then it's back home in the high desert inaka of northern Arizona on Monday. My time in Japan has been amazing and I have enjoyed sharing my adventures with you. I have some other thoughts, but they are best told in person. To read about my continuing adventures, which I am sure will include reverse culture shock, American immigration hating, and graduate school application frustrations, click on http://pittmeisterparade.blogspot.com . Thanks for reading everybody. I'm out!

Final Exam

2008-02-08T10:37:00.000+09:00

I used what I hope will be my final "punch" on my "gaijin card" yesterday. It happened while I was turning in my grades for my Gandai (Iwate Uni) classes. I gave my final exam on Wednesday (also The Digger's birthday) and handed in my grades post haste so that Kozue and I will be able to focus on the more pressing matters involving moving.

The grade submission sheets were just the students' i.d. numbers with boxes next to them where one would fill in the corresponding grade according to the percentage they earned during the semester. In each box there were little astrisk marks. Having never done this before and still filled with childhood memories of taking the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, I used my youthful exuberance to completely and thoroughly color in the proper box for each student's grade. It was only later when I submitted them to Nice Office Guy that he laughed and chuckled at what I did and explained that a simple line would have been sufficient. My heart aches with the knowledge that he still allowed me to submit my grades to him and he probably spent the better part of yesterday afternoon erasing my colored in boxes and drawing the appropriate line. Oh the madness! This is on top of the fact that I had a student show up at the end of the final exam period because she overslept and had the audacity to ask me how she could make up the points. I told her she could make them up next year when she retakes the class because she failed.

I recently watched an interesting movie. It was called Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and it stars Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. In the movie, two people who have dated then broke up decide to erase the memories they have of each other thinking it will make them happier and able to move on. There are a couple of nice twists in the movie and what I found most interesting is that is some ironic way, it is related to the historian mantra of "those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it." If you rent it, you'll know what I mean.

T-minus 10 days and counting till I leave Japan and 8 days until I leave the Inaka. Praise Jesus! The one regret that I have is that Kozue and I have had very little time to sit down and hammer out the immigration forms for her. Hopefully, we can find some time to do that in the coming days. This will be my final post (I know I have said that before, but this time I really really really mean it!) for this blog. The Pittmeister Returns to America is up and running, but will not have a post until 2/19 or 2/20.

Until then...may peace be unto you.

The Pittmeister Gets Married

2008-01-21T14:23:00.000+09:00

Kozue and I in front of the shrine after the ceremony.

Table picture with Oikawa sensei, Momma Pitt, The Professor, The Doctor, and The Doctor's wife Miki-chan

The Digger, Me, Kozue, Kozue's brother, and his wife Fujiko after the reception.

Happy New Year and New Year's Resolutions

2008-01-02T16:52:00.000+09:00

Happy New Year to all who read this blog. I know I said that I was finished with The Pittmeister's Parade Around Japan, but seeing as I have commandeered father-in-law's computer for the time being, I thought I would compose a New Year's message for all of you still reading this blog and expound on my New Year's resolutions, which I (maybe) intend to keep!

I had a great Christmas. The Professor, Momma Pitt, The Digger, and MLP all came to Japan. They came less to celebrate Christmas and more to celebrate Kozue and my wedding, which was awesome! On Christmas Eve, we had the 1st Pitt-Yamazaki family Gift Exchange party. Christmas dinner was a dinner out in Hanamaki at Victory and the wedding was on Boxing Day (Yes, I said Boxing Day). MLP departed the Inaka on 12/28 and the rest of the Pitt clan spent 3 nights in Kozue's and mine apartment in Shiwa. Yesterday, The Digger and I hit up Geto and later in the evening, the 5 of us went to a shrine to pray for good luck in the new year. The rest of the Pitt clan left this morning.

It has been meloncholy around here today. Kozue caught up on sleep while I caught up on the news. I just came back from a walk that was so treacherous because of the recent snow dump, that I almost had to turn back. For those of you wondering how many days I have left in Japan....it's 46!

Now, here are New Year's resolutions:

Stop Biting My Fingernails: I figure if I get a manicure and tips on maintaining my nails, that will help to break this really bad habit I have had for a loooooooong time.

Start Hiking Again and Lose 50lbs: I did it before and I can do it again. The dependable Arizona weather will help in this pursuit.
Find a career. This can be graduate school or teaching. I haven't decided yet.

Well, that's about it for me. Happy New Year!

Final Thoughts on Japan and Returning to the U.S.

2007-12-09T19:13:00.000+09:00

This will be my final post on "The Pittmeister's Parade Around Japan." I have decided on this for the following reasons:

The preparations for my wedding to Kozue are in the final stages along with the final stresses that go along with weddings.

full-time employment at Zenrinkan is in its final death throes along with its free connection to the Internet.

there will be very little to report on after January 1st as I will be preoccupied with preparing for my return the United States of America and scurrying to accumulate as much as I can for Kozue's I.V.

As I close this chapter of my life, I am looking forward to rediscovering my own culture and country and trials and tribulations that go along with it. To follow those adventures, head over to The Pittmeister's Parade Around America and follow my adventures in the United States. I hope to have the first post up by February 20, the day after I return to Flagstaff.

I am standing on the verge of returning to my home country and I wonder what life will be like for me when I return. My memory harkens me back to the time when I first arrived in Japan. My life was a blank slate. I had a new life to do with how I wanted. I also had very little. I had no phone, no Internet connection, no motorized transportation, and a town I needed to explore and make a home in. Quite a daunting challenge wouldn't you say. In time, I learned to speak a little bit of the language, read kana and some of the kanji, made friends, found a girlfriend (now wife), and worked job that while boring most of the time, I found strangely rewarding. I now find myself feeling more like a Japanese person than an American. I think nothing of eating my food with hashi, taking my shoes off at the genkan to enter a house, and I eat rice with every meal. How will my life change for the better and for the worse when I return home?

One of things I know I will face at home is a lot of ignorance about Japan the international community in general. I got a taste of that last Christmas. Many people simply have no idea what it's like to live for an extended period of time in a foreign country and many wonder why anyone would have the desire to do such a thing. One of the most common questions I have from people in the U.S. is "How's Japan?", which to that I retort, "What do you want to know?" This country is so much than suicides, sumo, samurai, and sushi.

As I watch the presidential race more closely than I have in the past, I am watching the Immigration issue very closely because that affects me as much as it does Kozue and her desire to immigrate to the United States. What will life be like for her as an immigrant in a country built by immigrants that is increasingly becoming increasingly anti-immigrant; seemingly both legal and illegal. How will I my teaching and living abroad experience be seen by potential future employers? And will I ever again have the work ethic I had before becoming an ALT?

I have discovered in my time here that one cannot identify one thing that is distinctly Japanese, even though you may try your hardest. The core values of both Japanese people and Americans are the same with the most important being wanting the best for their children. They both work hard to provide for their families and both go to work every day and come at night for dinner. The idea that every working Japanese person is like the proto-typical salary man who goes out drinking with is work friends till the last train leaves may be accurate in many places, but should not be any one's vision of what Japan is. Japanese culture revolves around the idea of fitting in, being part of the group, and sacrificing for the good of the group. The last one is a lesson many Americans could stand to learn.

There will be many aspects of my life here in Japan I hope to continue in America. For example; Bento lunches, taking my shoes off before entering my house, eating more fish instead of pork or chicken. I will definitely eat more vegetables and search out local ramen, soba, and udon shops in whatever town I move to. In time, I may find myself pining to open a Yakiniku restaurant and partner it with an izakaya with a nomihoudai option. I will also take with me the idea of long hours and working until the job is done. Too many American teachers simply leave work at 3pm, rather than staying until 5pm and putting in the extra time to prepare and make their classes better. I fully intend to do that.

So now I close the book on this blog and my life in Japan. It has been fun, but Kozue and I look forward to the future; to raising our children, to owning a home, and to some day giving our children the experience of living abroad and experiencing the challenge of living in a culture not of their own. The 440 people who have viewed my profile and glanced at this blog, I hope you liked what you saw and came back. To all of my friends who read this blog like they read a porno mag....thank you. To all my friends I leave behind in Japan, I hope I get the chance to see you again before I go and if I don't, I had better be on your Christmas card list you cheeky buggers!

This is The Pittmeister signing off!

2007-12-05T14:52:00.000+09:00

Well, it is official now; I am leaving Japan and returning to the United States. February 18th is my departure date and I have already made the flight reservation.

I have a one-way ticket on Singapore Airlines (maybe I'll get to fly in the A-380!) that will leave Narita at 18:30 on 2/18.

The countdown has officially begun. T-75 days.

Japanese Wedding Photos

2007-11-26T20:34:00.001+09:00

Kozue and I went her co-worker's wedding yesterday.
Here are some pictures!

Her co-workers performing karaoke as wedding entertainment. And they say Wedding Singers have gone out of style!

Kozue and Yumiko, the Bride.

Imminent Return

2007-11-24T22:35:00.000+09:00

I had my interview in Saitama yesterday. Can't say I was bowled over with enthusiasm for working there. My return to the States is looking more and more imminent. Kozue and I have set a tentative date of 2/15 as my return date to the United States. If I don't receive a call back (I am not expecting one) then I will leave satisfied in the knowledge that I am finished teaching English in Japan. I have had enough....honestly! During the interview, I was asked to create a 15 minute model lesson and I honestly could not come up with one creative or coherent idea in the 10 minutes I had to prepare. Put a fork in me because I am done.

Here is a list of the Top 10 things I know already I am going to miss about Japan:

Fresh fish. There is something to be said when one can walk into a grocery store and buy fish that was swimming just the day before and never thought it would end up on your dinner plate.
My international consortium of friends. No where else have I had friends and co-workers who hail from as many places as I do here: Haiti, Tazania, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia, the U.K., Canada, and Japan. Joining an international society will be Priority #1 when I return and get settled.
The customer service and willingness to help a stranger despite the language barrier. Ever try signing a mobile phone contract in America without being able to speak or read English. Kind of scary ne?
The alcohol. I have come to be quite an affectianado of rice wine. Again with a drink called "Shochu." You also have to respect a country that drinks a concoction that was used to clean wood floors 250 years ago.
The public transport. Yes Iwate is lacking compared to the rest of Japan, but there are very few other places on this earth where one can simply hop on a high speed train and be in a metropolis in three hours.
The Karaoke boxes, nomihoudai parties, daiko taxis, and other avenues where one can be quite inebriated and nobody will care.
Snowboarding. Depending on where I end up, chances are I will not be able to go as prolifically as I have here.
Japanese Language. Yeah, I know I am not fluent, but I will miss the challenge of trying to figure out what the hell people are saying to me while I try to look both interested and respectful at the same time.
The barber shops. I love the fact that I can walk in and get a haircut, shampoo, straight razor shave, and a massage all in about one hour and for the price of a week's worth of groceries.
Eating everything with chopsticks. Yeah, I know I could that in the United States, but why bother?

Okay. I am going to take a bath then go to bed. I have a busy today tomorrow and it starts early. Good night.

First Snow and other Follies

2007-11-19T19:00:00.000+09:00

Jack Frost cut his summer sabbatical early this year and returned the Land of Demon Hands, aka Iwate, a full-month earlier than he has in the previous three and brought snow to our little hamlet in northern Japan yesterday evening. This of course has led the island natives to bullrush and browbeat their way into every store that has anything remotely to do with wintrification. One these tasks is changing one's car tires from spring/summer/fall to winter.

I acknowledge I had been remiss is accomplishing this simple, mundane, but entirely necessary task as had Kozue. After slogging our way home this morning through the slush from the hotel where our wedding will be held in a little over a month, we took her car to her former employer AutoBacs to have the tires changed and it's "oil element", aka filter, changed. We arrived early thinking we would be one of the first people there only to find ourselves at the back of a 15 person line. I looked at my watch and remarked to Kozue, "Don't these people have jobs?! It's 10a.m. on a Monday morning." Then I realized these were the same people who usually line up for Pachinko parlours to open. Their priorities had temporarily shifted for the day and for that I give their meakly earned kudos. The wait time quickly escalated to 90min so we dropped off her car and went to the dentist. At 1pm and with no "we're finished. come pick it up" call, Kozue called and arranged to pick it up at 6pm. I hope it was finished based on what happened to me later.

I tried to have the same procedure done to my car on my to work this afternoon. The Super Autobacs in Morioka was so overrun by my fellow procrastinating peers, that I was turned away with the cashier using incomprehensible Japanese and that simple yet well understood gesture...the crossed index fingers with the lowly sad voice saying "sumimase~n" with sad, puppy dog eyes to boot.

After living in Japan, neither of these two things should surprise me, however the habit of changing tires still has not taken hold in my psyche yet. As most of you know, I was born in Arizona -and have a condo made of stona-. But it has less to do with the fact that Arizona is dry and mostly desert and more to do with the fact that in Arizona -and most of America for that matter -we have two wonderful inventions that Japan, and more specifically Iwate, has yet to adopt...Snowplows and All-Terrain tires!

Another peculiar consequence I have noticed concerns Japanese traffic patterns. In two instances of strange or extreme weather year, I have noticed an increase in traffic congestion the day after a significant meteorlogical event. The first was a typhoon in September. That day after the typhoon passed, it took me nearly 90min to drive the 20km from the apartment to Zenrinkan. The other was today. Traffic congestion in Morioka was horrible during a non-rush hour time. Japanese drivers are notoriously in a hurry and you can bet there were plenty of lorry drivers running red lights and tailgating the dwarfed K-cars in front of them. This is of course in contrast to America where people don't travel in bad weather, while the Japanese revel in it.

and in other news...

I have an interview in Saitama (Tokyo to everyone outside of Japan) on Friday November 23. It is with a cram school which specializes in Eikaiwa (English conversation). Yes, I know Kozue and I have agreed to go back to the U.S., but Green Cards take time and I need a paycheck damn it. Friday is going to be a looooooong day of riding the high speed rails.

Morioka Cricket Club had their montly enkai party on Saturday night. Despite my pledge not to drink alcohol at such social functions because I end up drinking (and eating) way too much, I still was hyper and my usual party self...whatever that means. Karaoke turned into 80's rock ballad night and featured Guns N Roses cover songs, which for many people took a lot of Patience to get through. I will post some pictures of the event once my other friends post them on Facebook and I am able to download them....hehehe!

Okay. I'm out folks! Thanks for reading

Momma I'm Comin' Home

2007-11-09T15:50:00.000+09:00

"Times have changed and times are strange, Here I come , But I ain't the same, Mama, I'm Coming Home"-Ozzy Osbourne

Because of some recent developments involving my job status at Zenrinkan (it's not working out), Kozue and I have decided to return to the United States. What we will do there has not yet been decided or fully thought through yet, but what is known is that I never planned to make teaching English in Japan my career because let's face it; it's not a career. Yes, I could get on the university teaching circuit and teach at a few of universities here in Iwate and work part-time at an English conversation school, but there's not possibility of advancement or even job security as I have unfortunately found out through working at Zenrinkan.

We don't have an exact time table for returning stateside yet or even a plan for what we'll do once we get there. My best estimate is that we may be living there together by next Christmas, even if I have to come back early by myself. You may ask what our options are. Well, my options are graduate school or get back into the classroom teaching history and social studies. The former will be easier to attain than the latter because A.) based on my experience job-hunting for post-JET employment, because when faced with the prospect of hiring a teacher returning from a foreign country who you are unable to interview in person, it is easier to hire somebody closer home than somebody who has actually experienced what he/she will be teaching and can share that experience with his/her sheltered and relatively close-minded students. B.) I no longer have a valid teaching certificate. Well I do, but it expires this January. Not a good thing if one wants to simply waltz back into the classroom.

The first thing that must be done is Kozue must change her name so she can get a new passport. This will allow to have her new name, Kozue Pitt(meister), on her immigration visa. However, this process has been complicated by Hanamaki City Hall's inability to recognize that my middle name is not part of my last name. Because of this, my legal name in Japan now combines my middle and last name into one. If Kozue were to change her name now, it would sound like a law firm and a very strange one at that. To change my name back to where it should be, we have to go through the courts and in the Land of Endless Paperwork, that can take a month and a half. Once we get my name changed, we can change her name, get her a new passport and submit her paperwork in an interview at American Embassy in Tokyo. I have been told this process can be called "hell on earth", but that's only if you think you hurry the process up. It just takes time, say 9-12 months.

You might want to know what Kozue could do for work in the United States. Well, I will tell you. She has professional backgrounds in insurance, retail, and real estate. Before she quit school, she was studying Chiropractics. I would say her options are pretty open and I hope she would consider going back to school to finish her degree in Chiropractics because she gives one mean massag! Of course, she would have to find a workplace that would be patient with her given her English proficiency. Granted it is better than most Japanese people, but if people get in hurry while speaking with her, she does become frustrated and has a hard time understanding what they are saying.

Not much else to write on this topic at the moment. More updates on this are to come.

The Hill Top Steakhouse and Murone Halloween Party

2007-11-06T20:15:00.000+09:00

Feeling the need for a road trip, the Pittmeister embarked on an adventure this past weekend. In a small inaka village called Murone, there is held an annual Halloween party event for all the little boys and girls inhabiting the surrounding houses and hamlets of southern Iwate. The Pittmeister decided that after three years of JET narcissism, this was the year to go.

I rendezvoused with my traveling companions at 10 in the morning on Saturday. I arrived much earlier and decided to pass the time in a nearby cafe drinking blended coffee and chuckling at the writings of Bill Bryson in his book Notes From a Small Island. At 10 we rendezvoused and set out on our little weekend adventure.

Our first stop was the Hill Top Steakhouse; a quaint and rustic roadhouse offering steak to satisfy the appetites of ravenous outlanders hungry for a change from the Japanese staples of fish, rice, and that lovely smelling fermented treat; natto. The Pittmeister and his gang were the first to mosey on into the steakhouse saloon, but were soon joined by the organizer of the event and his posse of southern tribesmen. My craving for steak was at its acme and I satisfied that craving by having a total of 300 grams of Australian rib roast steak with sides of all-you-care-to eat salad bar, rice, and tofu soup. The ambiance of the steak was magnified by the circles of smoke coming from our BBQ pit and the classic country music radiating around the room. Laughs were shared in great abundance, particularly when the Pittmeister entertained the crowd with is uncanny impression of Chris Farley's SNL character Nick "You're gonna be living in a van down by the river" Foley complete with self-wedgie action. The only thing I didn't do was fall on and break a coffee table.

After settling up our bill, we went outside to leave to stock up on the necessary libations and snacks we would need before heading to the Murone Community Center where the Halloween party would be held when we saw a Stars 'n Bars Confederate flag conspicuously hanging in the window of the steakhouse. We were in a hurry to get going, however our wagon died because our trail boss left its lights on and ran down the battery. The saloon master kindly went out of his way to help the stranded gajin and get us back on the road.

The Halloween party was more fun for me than the Zenrinkan Halloween party, mostly because the kids were a whole lot cooler and I was doing more than just sitting in a room waiting for children to destroy it. I worked the ring toss with another person and while neither of us finished the party working the booth, we still represented for most of the time. By the end of the party, my Hagrid costume had gotten too hot and I was without my coat and stringy Rasta wig.

After all the kids had gone home at 7pm, the adult party started and last until everyone passed out around 3 in the morning. There was chatting in the kitchen and loud trance music being played in the main hall for anyone wanting to dance. I floated between the two sights. Around 1 in the morning, everyone came into the great hall for a group desecration of the sacred Thriller dance made famous by Micheal Jackson.

The next morning, we all got up and left by 9 in the morning. I rode back with my traveling companions and had breakfast in Kitakami before going home to pass out from exhaustion. Overall I had fun and I'm glad I have made some great friends since finishing JET and moving my employment to Morioka.

Thanks to all who made this party great: Dean, Shu-commander, J-Hill, Dr. Ivo, Laura, Jaime, and everyone who I did not mention. Cheers guys!

Halloween Party and Morioka Cricket Championship

2007-10-30T09:44:00.000+09:00

On October 26th, Zenrinkan had our annual Halloween party for our child students and other members of the community. I went as Hagrid from the Harry Potter series. Kozue sewed the coat I was wearing and I made the wig of black yarn. The beard is a borred wig from ZRK that I figured out how to attach it to my face. It scared a few kids, but most people recognized me as Hagrid. My "task" at the party was to sit in one of the "Treasure Hunt" rooms and stamp childrens' cards as they collected three eggs. I came up with a catchy phrase to say as they entered the room, but very few if any understood, "In this in which you enter, you may take 3 eggs of treasure." Then the children were supposed to take the eggs back to the "Trading Post" to collect their prize. Most kids just opened up the eggs right then and there and only took the quiz questions they could answer, so I was left with a lot of empty eggs or homeless pieces of paper. I even had two kids destroy two paper pumpkin decorations. I yelled at both, but only was smart enough to realize what I was so angry about and apologize. The other just gave me this "I'm too stupid to understand what you're saying" and left with only one egg, only to return a few minutes later for the other two eggs he needed/wanted. All in all, I was bored and did not enjoy myself because my costume was hot and scratchy. Another reason why I hate the Halloween season.

In the Morioka Cricket Club Championship, the World 11, of which I am a member, tied the Northern Alliance with 61 runs. Our conservative batting style and consistant run production contributed greatly to our success. The remnants of the rain the previous day did much to slow the ball down and prevent any extra scoring chances for either team. Afterwards, a BBQ and scratch match were held for people who didn't get to play in the first game. In a clinic of How Not to Bowl, D.H.R. gave up an international Cricket record 24 runs on 4 bowls in the scratch match.

Mr. Irrelevant

2007-10-18T16:37:00.001+09:00

Normally the term "Mr. Irrelevant" alludes to the person taken last in the NFL Draft. However, recently it has a new mascot...It appears as though President Bush whose "political capital" bank account is out of funds and is nearly overdrawn. And you know that makes me happy. In a press conference today, Dubya responded to a question about why he vetoed the bipartisan Child Health Care bill by stating, "to show that I'm still I'm still relevant." Is that why you're giving the finger to little children in this picture Mr. Bush?

I'm sorry Mr. Bush, but if you think that you have to deny millions of children health care assistance because you think it will keep you relevant in American politics, then you are already Mr. Irrelevant and a Lame Duck president. Do the U.S. and the world a favor and just keep your mouth shut for the rest of your term and let the truly elected, but no less corrupt, people of the United States Congress take care of the running country, even though their approval rating is lower than yours. You have mucked things up enough in your 7 years in office. Your father was a better and smarter man that you could ever hope to be.

Wardrobe Malfuction

2007-10-15T17:25:00.000+09:00

Last Friday, Kozue and I went into Morioka so I could get fitted for a wedding kimono and a tuxedo. We took the camera with us to take pictures in the event we wanted to document the look and styles of the kimono and tuxedo we found. Well, everything went beautifully with the kimono and the one they had prepared for me fit very well and made me look very cool. However, when it came to try on the tuxedo, there a was a surprise...

They brought out the largest tuxedo they had in stock for me to try on. I tried on the jacket first and everything seemed to fit okay across the chest which was a relief, but when I stretched out my right arm, we realized that the length was not going to be sufficient. The jacket's sleeve only went as for as my elbow on my 38in arm. An 80's flashback to "Miami Vice" immediatel popped into my head. They took my measurments, but failed to measure my arm length, then I picked out three styles of tuxedo that I would like to wear and they are going to try and find my size...Good Luck!

Health Sports Day Bowling.

2007-10-09T09:39:00.000+09:00

Yesterday was Health and Sports Day, a national holiday promoting sports and health...something badly needed in the United States. I had plans to play cricket with the Morioka Cricket club. However, because of rain, those plans were scrapped. Instead, we rendeavouzed at a new entertainment center in Morioka and did some bowling. The Pittmeister, being a rather poor bowler, failed the break 100 pins in either of the two games he bowled. In the second game, when it became apparent that 50 pins was going to be a realistic goal, he decided to have to some fun at the bowling alley's expense. The picture shows what happens when The Pittmeister seizes and opportunity to be funny. He even bowled a frame wearing this "costume". Afterward, the members of the cricket club went their own way with The Pittmeister returning home to Shiwa.

Chinese Toy Recall

2007-10-04T13:43:00.000+09:00

This is the latest toy made in China to be recalled.

Saniku Yochien

2007-10-04T12:00:00.000+09:00

Two Thursdays a month, I visit a local preschool in Morioka called Saniku Yochien. I'm only there for about an hour, but in the span of that hour, I teach three classes; 3, 4, and 5 year olds. Since beginning work at Zenrinkan, I have been there three times.

Typically, when I first arrive, the front entrance gate is locked and there are children playing in the sandy playground in front of the school. There is a small doorbell off to my left and I usually ring that so the teachers will let me into the building. However, I usually draw the attention of the students first and the screams of "Eigo no Sensei!" announce my arrival far more efficiently than a simple door bell ever could. As I walk from the gate to the entrance of the building, I am greeted by screams, shouts, and students handing me flowers blossoms they no doubt freshly picked from the plethora of bushes and small flower beds lining the playground. When I get to the "genkan" of the school, the students who have escorted me into the building enter ahead of me and place slippers at my feet. If I arrive before 10:30a.m., which I usually do, I am ushered upstairs to the director's office and expected to wait there until called for by one of the teachers or over enthused students.

My first class is the three year-old class, followed the 4 year olds, and finally the 5 year old "big" kids. The largest class, ~15 kids, is the three year old class. The 4 and 5 year olds have less than 10 each. I begin every class with the Hello Song, during which about 1/2 the class sings or does the motions. After that we sing our ABC's. Then I have another song or chant, an oral activity, a story, and finally the Goodbye Song as a way to end the classes. After three times visiting, I have formed the opinion that the 3 year olds are kept in check by some type of tranqilizer, while the 4 year olds are being given a stimulant resembling pure sugar. The most even tempered class in the 5 year olds. Their first interest is not learning English, it is my height, which is towering in Japan. Their favorite game is to have me hold out my arm to full extension and for them to jump and see if they can touch my hand. After three visits, they haven't gotten bored with it. Today as I was leaving, two or three of them gave me a hug. I was so touched!

After I'm finished teaching classes, I head back upstairs to drop-off the receipt and pick-up the payment for services rendered. After which I come back to Zenrinkan just in time for lunch. Thursdays are easy days and I get most, if not all of my preparation work done because I don't have many classes.

'Til next time!

Gandai Classes

2007-10-04T09:55:00.000+09:00

Yesterday was my first time teaching at Iwate University aka "Gandai". My students are first year, intermediate level students and are divided into 2 different cohorts; engineering and education. Everything I had heard about teaching university classes was it was similar to teaching my students at Hanamaki Kita high school, except for the one minor difference that I would not have a Japanese teacher in the classroom with me. While potentially frightening, this actually ended up working to my advantage and made me more relaxed in front of the class if things weren't going well or I chose to deviate from the plan.

I began my class with a short introduction of myself. Nothing too complicated and just covering the basics. Then I passed out my syllabus in hard copy and hit its main points. Again, going into too much detail with English Language Learners is not a good idea. After that, I asked them about their summer holidays, then I passed out and explained the icebreaker activity I had planned called "Have You Ever...?" Bingo. I explained the rules and did my best to encourage the students to get up and move around, then I set them loose on each other. In the Engineering cohort, the students did not move around the classroom much, but stayed rather close to their desks, a few students got up and moved, but they were the brave ones. After about 15 or 20 minutes, I stopped and did a class survey. Since most of the students had bought (and brought) their books, I was able to begin work on the textbook part of my lesson.

The Education cohort was less prepared for class. In a class of 39 students, I think only 6 people had brought their books. However, this class was much more active in the icebreaker. I also changed the rules which forced them to get a Bingo horizontally and vertically. This allowed the activity to go on for a full 30 minutes! After stopping the game with no one getting a Bingo, I again did a class survey. That left about 15min remaining in the class. I did a "What did you do on your summer vacation" discussion, but students were drowned out by the subtle din of chatter not present in the first class. Needless to say, I was much more relaxed in the second class and happy to see that my students took a more active role in the activity. That, according to other teachers at Gandai, is the Education cohort. They are much more active and involved than the Engineering cohort.

Wednesday is also the day that the majority of Native English teachers teach at Gandai and all meet for lunch at the on-campus restaurant. I will have to tell Kozue not to make me a lunch on Wednesdays.

Speaking of Kozue, yesterday was her birthday. No! I am not telling you how old she is! We went to a local yakiniku restaurant in Shiwa, then went home. Very low key.

Well, I need to make my final preparations for my preschool classes this morning. Earplugs are highly recommended when I go there because they constantly yell in the high pitched, childlike squeal, "Eigo no sensei!!!"

Thanks for reading

(Slowly) Working My Way Back to Jesus.

2007-09-29T17:40:00.001+09:00

Recently, I have had the realization that working at Zenrinkan could be the beginning of my journey back to God and his son Jesus Christ. I may have mentioned this before, but NPO Zenrinkan was founded by Christian missionaries over 70 years ago and is still very much of a Christian organization. I believe that it could have been in God's plan to have me work here to remind me of what being a Christian doing Christian work truly means. By working here, I have indirectly made the discovery of an English-speaking, Methodist-based church in the Morioka-area. But to understand why this is step to return to God's good graces, you need to understand the reasons, both intentional and unintentional, I have distanced myself from the Christian Church and regular worship in the first place.

It all started four years ago when I awoke one crisp October morning. I was in the middle of preparing to get my weekly dose of Jesus by attending worship services at Trinity Heights UMC back home in Flagstaff. I suddenly came to question myself on my motives for attending worship services and even began to question the strength of my faith. It was then that I decided to look at Christianity in a new perspective; from a historian's POV (big mistake btw) and decided that in his time, Jesus was probably viewed by mainstream society as a zealot and non-conformist. In my progression of thoughts, I came to the realization that I was attending church not out of belief, but out of routine and sociability. I also came to believe that I could be practicing a faith based upon the worship of someone equal to some of the religious zealots we find in our modern society, who we commonly call "crazy". A black hole of doubt began to grow in me and I decided to take a step back to examine what I truly believed and my true motivations for attending Sunday worship. This "epiphany" if you want to call it that, came at a time when The Professor and Momma Pitt were just becoming extremely active within the church and an organization called "Walk to Emmaus".

That led me to declare myself free of Christianity and undertaking a period of "Religious Exploration." It was my intention to attend worship services from all different faiths and denominations. I was particularly curious about the Jewish and Islamic faiths, but I'm sorry to report that Flagstaff is not a hot-bed of religious diversity. At the urging of my friend Dominic, I decided to attend the campus Catholic services with him and his wife to be, Karen-chan. I would attend the Sunday evening services (at what I would call it a chapel) located ~100 yards from the shoebox I called a condominium. While it was a change of pace, I certainly didn't feel like I belonged. This was primarily because I wasn't Catholic and could not (and should not) take part in the weekly sacrament offering of the service. I felt left out and quickly lost interest in the Catholic services, especially since I wasn't expressely interested in converting. It was also around about this time in my life, that I met and started seeing a woman who herself had recently found Jesus and declared herself a born-again, "on fire for God" Christian. With my growing disinterest in and indifference to the faith, our romance soon fizzled out. Fuel was added to the fire by the fact that I was working Sunday mornings at a large retail chain store and if I was lucky enough to finish early on Sundays, I usually wanted to go back to bed for another couple of hours.

In 8/2004, I came to Japan, and any dreams of further "exploration" evaporated like the contrails of the 747 I flew over here on. I abandoned my faith and publicly and privately railed against the Christian establishment, mostly because of their hypocrisy by favoring and supporting government legislation denying basic civil liberties to gays and lesbians such marriage and health benefits. They're American citizens you bigots! When I returned to Arizona in the spring of 2005 for The Domn8or's wedding, I was also supposed attend a Walk to Emmaus, but JET Programme policies made that impossible and I was forced to return a week early. Again it seemed that strange forces were working against me.

My next two years passed with hedonistic abandon as I was committed to commit as much sin (I'm already forgiven anyway right?) as I could. Kozue and I held sporadic discussions about religion and on one particular occasion, discussed the similarities of Christianity and Buddhism on our way to somewhere in the inaka of Iwate. Kozue has always purveyed the belief that she would convert to Christianity if that was the faith of her husband, of which I still lay claim to. Then, back in June, I was selected to part of the staff at NPO Zenrinkan, a Christian-based Not-for-profit organization. Two weeks ago, I was informed of an English speaking congregation in central Morioka and that I should consider attending.

Now, I stand on the cusp of entering a a Holy house for the first time since I went home for Christmas last year. I'm not sure what to think of it, but it is a first step back to God and his son Jesus Christ. Once I actually go to the church, I will report back on my experience and if I plan to go again. Having a faith is very important to Kozue (she's Buddhist), but now that I am thinking about having a family, I want my kids raised in a faith, be it Christian or Buddhist. That is one motivating factor for me to consider giving Christianity a second-chance.

Intellectual Boredom

2007-09-27T12:15:00.000+09:00

I am intellectually bored. Not physically bored mind you, just intellectually bored. At this point in my life I am not feeling intellectually challenged. Intellectual stimulation has always been a priority of mine. As a student in elementary, junior high, and high school, if I was not challenged academically or intellectually, I became a teacher's worse nightmare....a know-it-all smart alec with mild hyperactivity to boot. It was not a pretty sight and got me sent to the Principal's office on more than 5 occasions. I need a new project to keep me interested in, well; life.

I have that new project. It is something I have been wanting to do ever since my senior year of college and that something is write a biography. See, there was this Biography senior capstone class and I wanted to take it, but because the Education at NAU can be inept at times, scheduling didn't work it out and I was stuck doing my senior capstone paper on a subject that could have only interested the professor and her "pet" student in the small seminar class.

That's right! I want to write a biography! "About whom?" may you ask? About The Professor. See, he may not think that he has led an exciting or meaningful life, but I think someone who grew up on the wheat plains and pastures of central Montana to become a Peace Corps volunteer, U.S. Army soldier, scholar, and academic has quite a story to tell and I want to be the one to tell the story.

I can't promise my biography will be a success. No non-professional writer can do that. I just want to do this for my sanity. If I get published, great! If I get rich, even better! However this project's main objective is to honor a man who is partly responsible for the person I am today.

Thanks Dad!

Pictures of Shiwa

2007-09-22T15:13:00.000+09:00

Here some pictures I took of Shiwa yesterday afternoon while I was out for a walk.

2007-09-20T13:45:00.000+09:00

Working at ZRK leaves me little time to troll the Internet and keep my blog updated. This is a good thing because it seems that is all I had to keep me entertained and out of trouble at my last job. Without an Internet connection at home, my leisure time on the Internet is severely limited. Because of this, I have been pouring my creative and thoughtful energy into my personal journal. There is quite a bit of information I would like to share with the readers of this blog, but since I don't normally carry my journal around me, that's not possible today.

However, here some recent highlights and thoughts I have had in the past 12 days since my last post:

On Saturday 9/15, ZRK had their annual International Festival, Bazaar, and International Lunch. I, along with other employees and volunteers, made a dish my from home country...chili cheese dip. I only sold 16 servings, so ZRK didn't make any money off of me. I think I'll make Momma Pitt's Pumkin or Zucchini bread next time.

I am legal to drive in Japan for the next three years. Last Friday, 9/14, I renewed my driver's license. While it wasn't the ordeal it was 2 years ago, it did take up most of the afternoon. For starters, the Japanese equivalent of the DMV only opens twice day for license renewals; 8:00-9:00 or 1:00-2:00. Not one to want to get up early in the morning, I opted for latter. Once inside the pearly gates, one put their license into a machine, which makes an enlarged copy of both the front and back of the license. Afterwards, I went to a window to pay the money for my license renewal (3,800 yen) and answer one single question concerning doctoral permission to drive. After that is an eye test, then you turn in the paper work. A Japanese Amazon then calls you up for your picture, checks your address, then takes your mug shot for your new license. After having my picture taken, I was given a pink ticket. This ticket was for a class to make up the 3 points I lost when I was clocked going 31km over the speed limit in Aomori last summer (Shh! don't tell the Kencho!). I had to sit through a 2hr class about speeding, wearing my seatbelt, drinking and driving, and driving while distracted. If that was I had to do to get my points back...fine!

I survived another typhoon! On Monday, a typhoon, or the remnants of it, flooded parts of Iwate. While Kozue and I in our second floor abode were not affected, Niko-chan, one of my ZRK co-workers, was evacuated on Monday night. Traffic on Tuesday morning was horrendous and I was nearly late. It took me 80min to drive 19km. Yeah! You do the math on your own! The Kitakami River which flows through Morioka was running in its flood plane and had completely inundated the river walk area near downtown Morioka. I just want to say that I'm glad I live away from water. The temperature is close to 30 degrees Celsius today b/c of another typhoon approaching. This September resembles the one I experienced my 1st year in Japan when 16 typhoons (a record!) hit the Japanese mainland.

Not much else to report on at this time. Hopefully, I will find a regular time to blog from now on. Thursdays are looking like the best days.

The NFL on NBC

2007-09-08T17:55:00.000+09:00

Three years of NFL deprivation have come to an end! Yesterday, while a typhoon dumped buckets of rain on Iwate and turned the calm and serene Kitakami River into something more resembling the Colorado River, I was in my apartment, watching the Indianapolis Colts destroy the New Orleans Saints 41-10.

See, Koz and I finally caved and decided to get a satellite tv package; one much cheaper than my previous subscription. The one condition that I had for Kozue was that I wanted to have a channel on which I could watch NFL games. Surprisingly, Kozue agreed. I had anticipated the game to be more competative, seeing as both teams were championship contenders last year, but the Colts, playing on their home field, had other ideas and overwhelmed the Saints with both their offense and their defense. It was a bittersweet day. The only thing missing was a hot Papa John's pizza sitting on my lap.

Knowing that I am going to have this "luxury" for the coming season, I am trying to organize a football group and host monthly football parties at our apartment. Ideally, this would be a group of football-starved men with little or no cooking skills, who would invade our "love nest" on a monthly basis bearing six-packs of beer, piping hot nacho cheese (and chips!), chili, pizza, and other vittles common to maledom. Naturally, I have not discussed this Kozue, but I am sure she is going to agree with it. The one drawback to my new found luxury is that many of the games are either A.) late at night or early in the morning; or B.) while I am at work. Luckily, many of them are on days that I am either off, or not working until much later in the day.

Random Engrish

2007-09-06T16:00:00.000+09:00

Fancy a blow? Maybe a cut and blow?

Labor Day

2007-09-03T17:36:00.000+09:00

The Professor at rest; reading a newspaper and sleeping in The Muse's Papa-san chair after moving her into her new Boulder Abode.

Today is Monday, which is Labor Day in the United States. Part of my job is website maintenance and for Labor Day, I wrote the following article about Labor Day for the Zenrinkan website. Hope you enjoy it.

In the late 19th century, America was in the middle of a great economic growth period known as “The Gilded Age”. This was a time when working hours were long and hard, and the average working men received very few holidays to rest and enjoy their favorite leisure activities. In 1882, a group called the Central Labor Union started a holiday called Labor Day, which took place on the first Monday of September. By 1884, the U.S. Congress had declared Labor Day a national holiday so everyone could enjoy this day of leisure.

Today, Labor Day is still seen as a day of rest, but it also signals the end of summer and is seen as one last chance for families to get away for one last trip before the cooler temperatures of autumn set in. Popular ways people in the United States celebrate Labor Day is by having barbecues, picnics, fireworks displays, and taking part in water sports. It has also been a time for teenagers and college students to have one more weekend of partying before the new school year begins, though lately, many schools are choosing to start school before Labor Day.

Personally, Labor Day has a very special place in the memories of my childhood. Growing up in northern Arizona, a place of cool summers and pine forests, my parents invited friends who lived in the southern (and hotter) part of Arizona to come to their house for their annual “Beat the Heat Retreat”, where they would have a potluck dinner and play cards late into the night. Labor Day weekend was also the weekend the County Fair came to my hometown and at least one day during the weekend, I could be found at the fairgrounds with my friends either enjoying the rides, the delicious but unhealthy food, or volunteering my time for fundraising activities for my Boy Scout troop. Lastly, Labor Day is favorite holiday because normally my birthday was usually on or around the Labor Day weekend.

Happy Birthday!

2007-08-31T15:11:00.000+09:00

It's my birthday today. My 4th in Japan. How will I celebrate it? Hmm....

Still Adjusting

2007-08-29T10:09:00.000+09:00

I am eleven days into my new job at Zenrinkan and things are going well, but you can probably tell by the infrequency posts, I am very busy.

My last post was entitled "Adjustment" and that is exactly what I have been doing. Here's a rundown of some of the things I have been adjusting too.

Married Life:

Kozue and I are slowly working out the kinks of a newly married couple. One of things we have sort of nailed down is a morning routine. She gets up and prepares bentos (lunches) while I get ready for work. When she has finished making lunches, I prepare breakfast while she's supposed to get ready. I usually prepare something simple like toast, sausages, milk, juice, and yogurt. My simple breakfasts are a result of two factors; A.) I am not much of a morning cook, and B.) Because Kozue dirties every pan and pot we have while making lunches. I can choose to wash them again or simply do something else....I choose the latter 90% of the time.
Our cleaning chores are bit more muddled. Laundry has been a "wash it as you need it" type of operation, while apartment cleaning is a bit more shared. This past Sunday, I vacuumed all the floors and Kozue quickly followed up by using the Japanese equivalent of the Swiffer Wet Jet to mop the floors and remove the deluge of dust the vacuum left behind. We have not touched the shower room or toilet. I think a spirited and highly contested game of Rock/Paper/Scissors is going to decide who cleans those items.

Zenrinkan:

Things have been busy at Zenrinkan for me as I adjust to actually having significance involved in my job. My days off are Sunday & Monday.
During my working week, my classes are all over the Morioka area and every day except Fridays, I start at either 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning.
Tuesday afternoons are spent at a small community center in a town called Ogama where I teach children from age 3 to about 11 or 12. Afterward, I am scheduled to have a private lesson back at Zenrinkan, but to date that has been canceled.
On Wednesday mornings and early afternoons, I will teaching two classes at Iwate University. In the afternoon, from 16:30-18:00 I am at another community center, this time in a town south of Morioka called Yahaba.
Twice a month on Thursdays, I will be going to a kindergarten near Iwate University and tomorrow will be my first visit with my co-worker Nicola.
Fridays are my short day and do not start until 2:30 in the afternoon. I will be visiting a kindergarten twice a month that is according to Nicola, "far away from no where." Actually I don't think it's that far.
Saturdays begin at 9:30 in the morning. All my classes that day are at Zenrinkan and I finish at 6:30.

Finally, Kozue and I have begun to plan our wedding. Last Sunday we went to visit three hotels in the Hanamaki area. Two of them we liked, one we could pass on, even though it was nice. All gave us estimates for what the average wedding at their hotels cost. All were reasonable, but two left out a couple of things that one did not. It seems as though the decision as to which hotel we choose has been left up to me as Kozue repeatedly asks which one I want. This is too much pressure.

Well, I need to get going. I need to run out to Iwate University and get a form for submitting my textbook for the school term. The deadline is Friday, my birthday as it turns out. Convenient eh?

Thanks for reading.

"Adjustment"

2007-08-21T19:55:00.000+09:00

That would operative word for what I am going through at the moment. I am adjusting to many different things. I am living a new apartment (pictures are coming), a new job (so far, so good), and new lifestyle (married life). This week I hope will be an anomaly. I feel so under-prepared and out of my element, but again it is my first week of classes and really and truly teaching for the first time in three years. I am having some difficulties teaching things that are meaningfull, but I am trying my best. I simply keep telling myself that I can't be perfect the first time I out (even though I expect myself to be). So far, so good! This was just my second day and I have to stay until 21:00. My private lesson was cancelled for the day and that's why I finally have to write a blog entry. I also finally got to the electronics store to by a LAN cable so now I can use my computer at work. I goofed and bought one about 2 meters too short, so I am using an un used desk. I don't believe I'll have much free time in the coming future to simply waste. I'll have to limit my internet time to checking email, Facebook, and blogging when I have the time, like now.

That's all I have to say for now. More to come later.

Resuming

2007-08-17T05:35:00.000+09:00

After taking a break from blogging for the past three weeks or so, I have decided that "The Pittmeister's Parade Around Japan" will continue after all. To start a new blog after all the work I have put into customizing this one would be rather counter productive because blogs can be changed and molded to the composer's will and temperament. I still hope to post plenty of pictures however, but without having internet at home for the forseeable future, that may take some planning. With that said, I have a new post for those of who have been waiting with baited breath for any new updates about the Pittmeister's escapades. I will write about my trip home, but in three separate entries. Here is the first one...

Last night, I returned to the Land of the Rising Sun after ten tumultous days in the U.S.. My journey began at 8:40 on the morn of August 5th. After a night of prolonged libation consumption at the Doctor's wedding and dressed in a yukata (the Japanese summer kimono), Koz made sure I was on the right shinkansen. By happenstance, Daddaluma, who was also in attendance at the wedding, was also on the same train, but in a separate car. Once in Tokyo, we waited together until the NEX arrived to take us to the airport. Again, our cars were separate and when Daddaluma left to get on the train, that was the last I ever saw of him.

At the airport, I was efficiently checked in by the United crew members. The only glitch was JTB had done a cultural change to my name and had the reservation name with my family name as my first name, so my name did not come up when I placed my passport in the self checker in'er. After that I feasted on a lunch of Subway and perused the terminal mall where I thought twice about buying a magazine for 1,1oo yen (about 11 dollars!). I made casual chat with people as a waited for the plane to board. My yukata was a conversation piece. As expected, we were late leaving Narita and didn't make up the time in the air. Because I was wearing the yukata, I was given the super thorough security check (nobody can ever again tell me that it's random!), and watched the obese American population waddle through the terminal for the next two hours while waiting for my flight.

When I arrived in Phoenix, I was met by the Professor and Momma Pitt. After claiming my bag, we met the Domn8or and his wife Karen-chan. After that we parted ways and I returned to Flagstaff to suffer through the full effects of jet lag.

That concludes the first of my planned three part series. Keep checking back in the coming days for more tales. Thanks for reading!

Here Comes the Rain

2007-07-23T17:31:00.000+09:00

All parades have their end, their terminus, the place where all the elements that made them special come together and disperse like sands in the wind. This is end of the "The Pittmeister's Parade Around Japan." I have come to this decision because this will be my final entry from the Matsuzono apartment, also known as Outpost M-1306, but also for other reasons I will explain at the end. I have enjoyed sharing my adventures or "parades" of the past year with all you who read this blog, but with all the changes that will be happening in my life in the coming days and weeks, I feel that what I will be blogging about will not be the same as I have in the past year. Also, I will be very busy, as this week will find me packing up the old pueblo and moving to a new outpost, whose name has yet to be christened. I am also busy with adjusting and learning about my new job at Zenrinkan. With everything going on right now, I don't have time to blog. So with that, I will leave you with a few final thoughts.

It's officially summer here now and that means a deluge of flowers. While I was out walking this morning, I took some good pictures of Hydrangeas. I will post said pictures when winter has taken hold of this land with its frozen grip and everything is bleakly unforgiving.

I gave my farewell speech today at my school. Sweated like a virgin on prom night in the hot gym before giving my speech, then the sweat came down in buckets is as I read it up on the stage. I was presented with a certificate of appreciation from the principal (as directed by the Kencho), as well as a bouquet of flowers from the students with an open invitation to visit any time. I fully intend to take them up on this invitation when I visit the school for their school festival. After giving my speech and receiving my flowers, I exited the gym with the principal down an aisle way of clapping students as the school band played my Swan Song.

I'm not sure how to express the way it made me feel. The word "appreciated" does not seem to suffice. I didn't cry during the speech like many people do. Could be because I am not leaving Japan or because I was too busy concentrating on giving my speech correctly, and sweating, that I didn't have time. Regardless, I am sad to be leaving Kita-ko. The students have been good and I've been wonderful.

Like I said at the beginning, I have decided that "The Pittmeister's Parade Around Japan" has come to an honorable and justified end. When I return from my 10 days of rest and relaxation in the United States, I will be starting a new life with Kozue, living in a new apartment, having a new job with its own set of new challenges. I won't have the freedom to travel like I did before, but maybe I don't want to. I never did get to Okinawa as JET, but getting to Hawaii is just as much and probably better too. When I return from the United States, I will start a new blog, one that will be more inclusive of Kozue and our life together. When that happens, I will make one final post informing all of you who read this of the new blog address. Until then, this is the Pittmeister signing off on his parade. Thanks for reading and God bless.

* A note on the picture, Saturday, July 21st ended up being Silly Hat Day for The Doctor, Daddaluma, J-Cup, and myself as we ate ramen together for what was most likely the last time at our favorite ramen shop in Hanamaki named Sakaeya. Disturbingly, all the hats came from the back of my car.

Another Farewell Song

2007-07-22T17:43:00.000+09:00

"I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLauchlan
I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don’t let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories

Remember the good times that we had?
I let them slip away from us when things got bad
How clearly I first saw you smilin’ in the sun
Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one

I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don’t let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories
I’m so tired but I can’t sleep
Standin’ on the edge of something much too deep
It’s funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word
We are screaming inside, but we can’t be heard

But I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don’t let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories

I’m so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose
Clinging to a past that doesn’t let me choose
Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night
You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light
And I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don’t let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories

And I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don’t let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories
Weep not for the memories

Farewell Songs for Friends

2007-07-20T09:14:00.000+09:00

Here are the lyrics to some my favorite farewell songs:

"Forever Young" by Rod Stewart:
May the good lord be with you
Down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when youre far from home
And may you grow to be proud
Dignified and true
And do unto others
As youd have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart youll always stay
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young

May good fortune be with you
May your guiding light be strong
Build a stairway to heaven
With a prince or a vagabond
And may you never love in vain
And in my heart you will remain
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young
Forever young

And when you finally fly away
Ill be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime
No one can ever tell
But whatever road you choose
I'm right behind you, win or lose
Forever young, forever young
Forever young ,forever young
Forever young, forever young
For, forever young, forever young

"The River" by Garth Brooks:
You know a dream is like a river
Ever changin as it flows
And a dreamers just a vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from whats behind you
And never knowing whats in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores.

(chorus)
And I will sail my vessel
til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
Ill never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
til the river runs dry.

Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
til what we put off til tomorrow
Has now become today
So dont you sit upon the shoreline
And say youre satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide.

*chorus*

And theres bound to be rough waters
And I know Ill take some falls
But with the good lord as my captain
I can make it through them all.

*chorus*

Yes, I will sail my vessel
til the river runs dry
til the river runs dry

End of the Road

2007-07-18T05:49:00.001+09:00

I figured out yesterday with my supervisor that my tenure as ALT at Hanamaki Kita high school will come to an abrupt but not completely premature end at 10 o'clock in the morning on July 24th. The reason for this is because of holidays and vacation time that remain or I will be able to use for my benefit. What this means is I will be unemployed for about a month before I start my new job with Zenrinkan.

Though blunted, it is actually a blessing in disguise as I will need that "free" time to pack up and clean the apartment in Kyoenjuutaku, prepare for moving, and finally start to move on 7/28 to the new penthouse. I will formally take up residence at the new Chez Pittmeister on 8/1. It will be difficult to leave this quaint, origami duplex. I have been able to make it quite a homely abode and my successor will not be walking into complete and utter squalor thanks to Koz and her ever vigilant cleaning efforts (Yes, I help too!).

For those YouTube addicts out there, I uploaded my first two videos ever to YouTube yesterday. One is of Daddaluma knocking the crap out of someone. The other is from one of the bridal fairs Kozue and I went to on Monday. Hope you enjoy them.

Earthquake in Niigata-ken

2007-07-17T05:30:00.000+09:00

I couldn't decide about which to write a blog entry about today. I could have chosen to tell you about the fake weddings/bridal fairs I went to yesterday or the recent earthquake in Niigata Prefecture, a prefecture near, but not exactly close to Iwate. I think the earthquake will be more interesting because I'm sure many of you who read this blog and live outside of Japan are concerned about me after reading about the large and devestating earthquake that struck the prefecture of Niigata yesterday at ten o'clock in the morning.

Let me assure that I am fine, have suffered no injuries or damage, and still have my nerves intact. Truth be told, I didn't feel anything from the initial quake. When it happened, I was sitting outside in my car, waiting for Kozue to pick me so we could take care of wedding business.

This is the second devestating quake to strike in Niigata-ken during my sojourn here in Japan. In October of 2004, my first year, there were a series of strong and frequent earthquakes which struck the area and did extensive damage to homes and other buildings. The fault line that runs through Niigata-ken is very strong and active and is very prone to moving and shifting. I'm surprised people still live there.

I was not entirely unaffected by this latest tremor to rumble through Niigata. Last night, as I was laying in bed trying to go to sleep, a medium sized rumbler was felt and my origami apartment shifted and swayed for between 10 and 20 seconds. This may have been an after shock or a new earthquake all together. Regardless, the Japanese fault lines are active once again. I have grown accustomed to these small quakes and they usually pass quickly. Still, the fear they cause can be substantial as you never know if they will turn into something more, like they did in August of 2005 when, while at school planning my Christmas vacation to Australia, Iwate was strongly affected by the earthquake that struck the Sendai city area.

Finality

2007-07-16T07:57:00.000+09:00

Today, Monday, July 16th, is a holiday so I will not be going into school. Instead, Kozue and I will be going to browse at a bridal fair and inspect hotels' facilities for our wedding and party in December.

The reality my JET experience ending hit me in the face like a scorned woman exacting revenge on her infidel husband when, in a thankful email, a man who has been chief of the ALT clans in Iwate, said, "Have a good life" and put the thumbs up emoticon with it.

It was then, and later on while teaching the telly with Kozue, that I realized my social life and circle of friends and close acquaintances would be severely diminished in the coming year. I am looking forward to settling into domesticity with Kozue. We are not living together yet, but will in the near future we will be.

Shiwa will be a change from Hanamaki. It will not have the selection of restaurants as does Hanamaki, but I'm sure we will find our favorites. My lifestyle is going to change and in some weird way, I think I have been denying it.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2007-07-15T08:16:00.001+09:00

Yesterday, I went to see the fifth installment of the Harry Potter movies. I was looking forward to this one in particular because the book was one of my favorite in series because it deals with several important themes, one being the growth of a fascist dictator usurping power.

I knew better than to expect an exact cinematic transcription from the book. Nevertheless, I was very surprised with how good this film was. They hit all the major plot points of the book and managed to convey Harry's anger and feeling of isolation.

The one character who I think was almost completely cut out was Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane). While he is gone for most of the book, he is still in the minds of the main characters as they struggle with the new administration and usurper of power. This is something that is neglected in the film.

The character of Dolores Umbridge was well done, and the actress playing her (Imelda Stauton) does a good job of playing a seemingly sweet middle-aged woman on the surface, but one with a sinister dark side and hidden agenda. My favorite part of the film is when Harry uses a "lesson" learned from a previous punishment against her and she is taken out and never seen again. I am sure if I was watching this movie in America, people would have applauded.

Some people have said that Micheal Gambon, the actor who has taken over the role of Albus Dumbledore after the death of Richard Harris, has changed the character from a quiet, patient, and wise old man to "an angry Scotsman". If you have read the books, that would be a fair assessment, particularly in a fews scenes from this movie and some in others, but it is a bit extreme. Gambon's Dumbdore is able to have the quiet moments of council with Radcliffe's Potter when the two are alone on screen together. The anger and sense of urgency he shows in this film is necessary on certain occasions considering the plot.

I would say this movie is the best of the five made so far. Of course, I might say that about 6 and 7 when they are released. I would recommend this movie if don't have an extreme love-affair and devotion to the books.

"A Rose Amongst the Thistles"

2007-07-14T05:59:00.000+09:00

I like to call this picture "A Rose amongst the thistles"

The Pittmeister Enters Domesticity

2007-07-13T06:20:00.000+09:00

I know I said I had put this blog on hiatus, but this couldn't wait to reported until I came back to Japan in mid-August. On July 7th, I entered into domesticity with Kozue. That's right! I'm a married man! In the picture, we are at Hanamaki City Hall, turning in the document that officially makes us married. Afterward, we had a short honeymoon at an onsen hotel near the base of Mt. Iwate. Kozue and I aren't living together yet. Because I have to move out of my teachers apartment by 8/1, we are waiting to set up housekeeping until 8/1 when we move to an apartment in Shiwa, a town about 18km north of Hanamaki. We are moving to Shiwa b/c it's 1/2 way between Morioka and Hanamaki where we will be working. We are currently planning to have a wedding ceremony and party on December 26th of this year when my parents and other family members will be coming to Japan.

Overprivileged Executive

2007-07-12T18:10:00.001+09:00

I know I put this blog on hiatus and I have not reported anything new about myself, but I found this editorial in the International Herald Tribune and thought I would share it. Enjoy!

Overpriviliged executive
Published: July 11, 2007

It is hardly news that top officials in the current Justice Department flout the law and make false statements to Congress, but the latest instance may be the most egregious. When Attorney General Alberto Gonzales wanted the Patriot Act renewed in the spring of 2005, he told the Senate, "There has not been one verified case of civil liberties abuse." But The Washington Post reported Tuesday that just six days earlier, the FBI had sent Gonzales a report saying that it had obtained personal information it should not have.

This is hardly the first time Gonzales has played so loose with the facts. In the U.S. attorneys scandal - the controversy over the political purge of nine top prosecutors - Gonzales and his aides have twisted the truth beyond recognition.

Congress needs to know all that has gone on at the Justice Department. But President George W. Bush is blocking the truth, invoking executive privilege to prevent Harriet Miers, the former White House counsel, and Sara Taylor, a former top aide to Karl Rove, from telling Congress what they know about the purge of federal prosecutors.

Bush's claim is baseless. Executive privilege, which is not mentioned in the Constitution, is a judge-made right of limited scope, intended to create a sphere of privacy around the president so that he can have honest discussions with his advisers. The White House has insisted throughout the scandal that Bush - and even Gonzales - was not in the loop about the firings. If that is the case, the privilege should not apply.

Even if Bush was directly involved, Miers and Taylor would have no right to withhold their testimony. The Supreme Court made clear in the Watergate tapes case that the privilege does not apply if a president's privacy interests are outweighed by the need to investigate possible criminal activity.

Temporary Leave of Absence

2007-07-06T06:36:00.000+09:00

This blog is on hiatus

The author of this blog, alias "The Pittmeister" is taking a temporary leave of absence from blogging because of an upcoming busy and potentially stressful schedule. This blog will be on hiatus until the end of August. Please be patient and check back at the end of August. Thank You.

Valediction

2007-07-03T09:10:00.000+09:00

It is that time of year again. Time for goodbyes and farewells to people who have meant a great deal to The Pittmeister during his maroonment on the Japanese archipelago. This year's farewells will be especially bittersweet because not only friends, but also The Pittmeister himself will be moving on to (hopefully) greener pastures. So, to honor my comrades, compatriots, confidants, brothers-in-arms, and other persons of a friendly nature, I will give each of them a proper send-off and dedication.

1. The Doctor
Had you not missed the train that one September night The Montreal All-Star and The Scotsman, we may have not become as good of friends as we have. I can honestly say that you have been my best friend these past three years and our adventures together, many of them documented in "The Pittmeister's Parade", only cement and support that claim. From "The Miracle at Morioka Station" to Maths review, from snowboarding to "The Road Trip", we always seemed to have a good time whenever we were together. As we move on to the next stage in our lives, I hope we stay in touch and remain friends for a lifetime.

2. Miso Veggie
After meeting while hanging out with E.S., we quickly became onsen buddies as you became the surrogate child for Kozue and I. Later, Kozue would jest that you became my second girlfriend. While your position on that totem pole may have mutated a bit this past year, you're still in the "Top 3". Some of the special moments we have shared that I will remember forever have been Sand Sculptures in Fudai, The Great Pumpkin Caper, Camping on the Coast, and Night Boarding. You have inspired me to experiment with vegetarianism as well. Our heart-to-heart chats over green tea and uncooked fish have been especially meaningful for me.

3. Daddaluma
While "Daddaluma" is your self-chosen alias for all things relating to the Internet, I used it because could not think of anything better than "The Philosopher". We often clashed in ideology, usually after several beers at the local pub. A historian and a philosopher are not a match made in heaven. While one of us deals in facts and reality, the other deals in theory. The nintey minute drunken debate you had with James about the legitimacy of global warming was a high (perhaps low) point of our nights at Yoronotaki. We weren't close, but we had our moments.

4. J-Cup
Our story of friendship is still being written and will continue next year, but sadly we may see significantly less of of each other. I'll wait to write your farewell benediction for another time and place. For now, know that I have enjoyed all the fun you brought to the Hanamaki Crew this year and I look forward to additional, but more mature evenings with you and Akun in the coming year.

5. Tyler Beal
Our reuion at the Recontracting conference was unexpected. Since that time, we have been to Sapporo and you have seen Hanamaki and the craziness that ensues at the after parties. Good luck teaching in Kuwait. Hopefully it will be fun for you. Stay safe and keep in touch.

I know I may have forgotten some people. If I did, I apologize. Farewell to you all and good luck in your future endeavors.

Finally, I would like to say that The Pittmeister will be taking a break from blogging for awhile to focus on other things, but he'll be back. Check back around the end of August for updates on his latest escapades.

Thanks for reading and goodbye for the time being.

Conclusions and Delusions

2007-06-29T15:25:00.000+09:00

With the seventh month of the Gregorian calendar on the other side of tomorrow, my time as a JET is in its final death throes and is beginning to kick like a hanging man. As I prepare to move on with my post-JET life, I am taking into account all that I have seen, done, and experienced these past 3 years. In my moments of reflection, I have come to the following conclusions or delusions:

I am ready to be home...at least for a visit. The frozen winter holidays seem so far gone and my desire to engorge myself while distending my viscera with an El Gordito burrito served with a frozen, strawberry margarita has been at its acme for some time now. This hankering to be home has as much to do with seeing friends (Domn8or), family (the Professor, Momma Pitt, and The Digger) and having one last family road trip; as it does with the 50% humidity index I experienced yesterday. In addition, the rainy season has made its spiteful return this morning and the humdity index has jumped to around 80%. When I get off the plane at Sky Harbor in Phoenix, I am going to do an Irish jig off that jet (in my blue, sumo-sized yukata no less) because it may be 115 degrees, but it IS a "dry heat" after all!

In the coming months I am going to buckle down and resume my preparation for the GRE and apply for graduate school in the coming year. I have been putting it off for way too long. I truly feel my calling in life is working with people within the international community and if I want to have a career at a university working with international students, I need to have an MA in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education. I have decided that a counseling-based program will be my forte` and I fully intend on pursuing this matter until the well dries up.
I think I am going to study for and take the JLPT. I know that it has been my red-headed step-child during my time here, but if I am serious about learning Japanese and having something to show for it to future potential employers in the field of international student affairs, the JLPT is the avenue I need to take.

Pictures from Hanamaki Kita's Sports Festival 2007

2007-06-23T06:59:00.000+09:00

"Charlie's Angels: Japan" Apparently, Charlie is the nickname of their homeroom teacher; Mr. Ozawa, and it was their way of saying that they like him.

Group Jump Roping. Students compete to see who can jump the most. I don't know if it was this group or not, but one group was singing "Doe, Ray, Me" from "Sound of Music" in Japanese as they jumped rope. It was a good idea as it kept them in time. Hopefully they won.

I don't know what this sport is called, but it's a rough one! One student is carried in the palms of 3 or 4 others and they "attack" other students in an attempt to rip the headband off their head. The student to rip the headband off their opponents head, or topple them to the ground wins.

Sports Festival 2007

2007-06-22T19:23:00.000+09:00

Over the past three days, Hanamaki Kita had their annual Sports Festival during which informal tournaments were held between classes and teachers in the following sports: Volleyball, Basketball, Handball, Softball, Table Tennis, Tennis, and other sports I can't recall at this time. The finale of this festival is an afternoon of field games on the afternoon of the 3rd day during which students compete in modified forms of Capture the Flag, Chicken Fighting, and Tug-a-War. For the field games, classes are combined and mixed for each event and only the students know what team they're on. The teachers have no idea how they are divided up.

The unique aspect of this festival it's almost entirely student run. The Student Council organizes (and funds it) and teachers are only there to make sure nobody gets hurt. Students from certain sports clubs officiate matches in their sport. So say for example if a student was in the baseball club, then they would help officiate (umpire) the softball games in the softball tournament. Pretty responsible task I'd say.

I think this festival serves several purposes. The first is it's a stress reliever because it comes at the end of 1st term exams. The second is it builds class camaraderie and improves class dynamics by having each class compete against other classes in sports students may not normally get to play. Finally, it allows students a chance to simply get outside and let loose after being confined to the school for long and enjoy the nice weather that has finally arrived.

You may wonder who the student in the picture is. That is Sakae. He is a 3rd year student and he is the Prefectural champion in Judo as well as the club captain. Nice kid, very quiet, very friendly, and also very confident. He just looked too cool standing there with his orange cowboy hat on watching the softball matches. I had to take a picture of him. I will post more pictures of the sports festival later this weekend.

I didn't play much in this year's sports festival; atleast not as much in the two years prior. I don't know why, I just didn't care. That doesn't mean I didn't go out. I still cheered on the teachers who played softball and handball, but unlike in past years, I wasn't part of the teams...not that I really wanted to be either. They know as much as I do that I have only one more month at the school and the significane of my presence in dwindling rapidly. I'm done and even though I am sad to be leaving Hanako, I am glad it's done. It's time for me to move on.

Rejection

2007-06-20T16:59:00.000+09:00

I received today what I expect will be a long string of professional rejection letters regarding my recent employment inquiries and applications to several universities stateside. This one in particular came from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. Even though it was sent via Air Post, it was dated nearly a week ago. It thanked me for my interest in working there once again and simply and matter-of-factly informed me that the position was now filled and wished me luck in my future professional pursuits.

I'm not disappointed. I already have a new job lined up so it's not like my hopes and dreams were riding on this one job opportunity. Yet at the same time I do feel a little cheated. I feel like I deserved at least an interview (which I didn't get) or something else to compensate for my trouble of drafting a cover letter, printing off a resume, and paying the 110 yen for postage. I know it's a cut-throat job market out there, but a man deserves a chance doesn't he? I can only speculate as to why they didn't interview me. Perhaps I wasn't qualified enough or maybe they have a policy of no phone interviews and seeing as I live on the other side of the world from NY state, they didn't want to consider me when taking into account the geographical distance separating us.

Whatever the reason, now I don't have to sheepishly and shyly inform them that I have already found gainful employment. Their loss and my gain. Maybe they'll hear from me again in a few years after I have more international experience under my belt or for graduate school studies. Whatever the case, I'm sure our paths will cross again in the future.

I'm off. The Hanamaki pool opened today and I need to go get my daily dose of exercise.

Peace.

Hanamaki Kita High School in Pictures

2007-06-16T13:32:00.000+09:00

This is probably one of those posts that should have come at the beginning of the blog, or even when I first arrived in Japan. Nevertheless, I am here doing it for you all now, just as my time as a JET is ending. Probably one of the few people these pictures are going to be of use for is my successor, assuming he finds this blog, which shouldn't be a problem considering it is linked in my email's signature.

Here are some pictures of my school for you all to peruse at your leisure. The first picture is of the front of Hanamaki Kita, from the west, so this is the east side of the school. The top row of windows is the Art room. The second row of windows is a large classroom, commonly used for conglomerate science and math classes. At the bottom are three doors into which the students enter every morning, but more on that later. The green buses you see in the foreground are for a teacher health check with was going on the day these photos were taken, some time in early May. If you look in the top right hand corner of the picture, you see Hanako's symbol, the Fleur de Li. I have never asked what it means, but it makes me feel like I am back in the B.S.A. once again. The three banners hanging are banners proclaiming which sports Hanako has championed over the past year.

In this picture, you see the the south facing side of the school. On the top, are six of the seven 3rd year classrooms. The balconies are popular places for students (mostly male) to gather during lunch and passing periods to give them a break from the classroom and get some fresh air. The second story houses the library, the librarians room, the smoking room, and staff room with attached copy room. On the bottom floor, there is the business office (called "jimushitsu" in Japanese), the principal's office (to which I have never been sent for bad behavior), a conference room commonly used for staff meetings, and the nurses room. In the lower right hand corner you can see the entrance reserved for teachers and other important guests and visitors to the school.

This next picture is inside the school at the teachers' entrance. Each teacher has a "cubby" where they keep their inside shoes and outside shoes. My "cubby" is on the lower right. You can barely see it. It is the second up and second over from the bottom right corner. You can not see them, but there is a pair of ratty, old slippers at the top of the ramp which can be used by teachers if they only need to exit the school for a short time.

This is the students' entrance. Each student has 4 pairs of shoes just for school; a pair to wear to school, an inside pair, a pair for the gym, and pair to wear outside when taking gym or other activities. All of them, except the pair to wear to school, are identical. There over 800 students at Hanamaki Kita, so this is not the only entrance block of cubby holes. This is just two classes worth (I think).

I hope you have enjoyed these pictures and I hope my explanations were satisfactory. Thanks for reading.

Alternative Spellings

2007-06-15T19:55:00.000+09:00

I just finished grading a portion of one of the English term exams currently being to assess the students' ability. One of the sections required students to input the necessary word into the text and write their answer in a blank space on the answer sheet. There many misspellings, but here some of the more stranger. Where possible, I will give you the correct answer:

"escublesh" and "elementain"(potential Bushism) for educate

"indibijual" and "indebedual" for individual.

"informate", "ighibit", "ignibit", and "informate"(possible Bushism) for inform

"discabary" and "discober" for discover.

"indipedant" for individual.

That's all I have for you now.

"How Did You Get There?

2007-06-15T08:41:00.000+09:00

Since coming to Japan, many people I have come into contact, both here, but primarily in the United States, have asked how I came to reside in Japan.

My answer at the time was straight forward enough. I said I simply wanted to teach and live abroad. But recently, I had a conversation with the Professor that changed the way I should probably answer this question.

When I was a university student, I encountered many people in the hallowed and halogen-lit halls of N.A.U.'s History Department who were so focused on their futures and set in achieving their career path, that they lacked any vision or desire to deviate from their intended path...not that there's anything wrong with that!

The majority of my fellow history majors were on one of three career paths:

Graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Education in History/Social Studies and become a teacher. (~raises hand~ "Guilty!")
Graduate with their degree in History and pursue graduate studies in a specific area of History, eventually becoming a learned scholar and professor where they have the privilege of wearing sport coats with leather patches on the elbows.

Graduate with their degree in History and become a law school student. After, which they will no doubt add to the gluttony of barristers already contributing to the cluster fucked American judicial system.

I can only speculate on the reasons for their tunnel vision, but I like to believe their parents had something to do with it. Such limitations were never placed upon me by the Professor and Momma Pitt. Realizing that I was not the most scholarly and academically focused type, their only requirement was that I attend college and earn a degree in something I liked and was interested in. After that, all bets were off and I could do whatever I wanted. {I think they were actually quite relieved when I received my diploma.}

Using this lack of restraint placed upon me by my procreators, I have transformed my Extended B.S.E.D. in History and Social Studies into a symbolic passport and worldwide travel pass. My friend T.B. has done the same, but he loses points because is going back to teaching social studies this fall as he moves to Kuwait.

I don't think I will ever go back to teaching Social Studies, though I have not ruled it out. Teaching is a very noble profession and one I could always fall back on, but I believe my calling lies in working with the international community. I enjoy working with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds and I relish the challenges living abroad often brings.

My point is this: I believe no body should ever get tunnel vision when it comes to their future and future career. Be open to trying new things and having experiences you never thought you would have before.

Yes, I do want a career, but for the next year, maybe two, that career is going to be on hold. Pursuing an M.A. is Student Affairs Administration is still a goal for me and one that Kozue supports. In my recent job search, I discovered that I do not necessarily need a Master's degree, yet it is highly preferred. Hopefully through my next job, I will gain experience which will allow me to work in a university's international office with only a Bachelor's degree while concurrently working on a Counseling based MA in Student Affairs Administration.

New Job, New Plan, New Life

2007-06-14T05:02:00.000+09:00

The anxiety of finding post-JET employment I have felt over the past weeks and months has finally dissipated and I feel as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and my mind.

Yesterday, after a second meeting with two teachers and the director, I was offered (and accepted) a job to join the international team at Zenrinkan NPO in Morioka for the coming year.

Zenrinkan is a Christian-based, not-for-profit, international language and activity center in downtown Morioka whose goal is to, "build a community in Iwate for love, service, and a place to meet." I will be joining an international team of people, including a few former JETs, to contribute to the community through language education, international events and activities, and other charities. I welcome and look forward to the new challenge and opportunities with great anticipation and excitement.

I have a modified, new plan as well. After my JET contract ends on 7/25, I will stay in Japan until 8/6, then return home to help The Professor and Momma Pitt move my sister "The Digger", who is Rome right now, to Boulder, CO, where she will start her graduate studies in Historical and Classical Archeology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. I will return to Japan in mid-August and I will officially begin my new job on 8/25.

When I return to Japan, though probably before I leave, Kozue and I will move to a Shiwa, a more centrally located city between Hanamaki and Morioka. This will make commuting to our jobs easier for the both of us. The Pittmeister's parade will continue, but will be less intermittent and will lack the wide swath it has enjoyed in the past year..

Human Interest Series #2: Oikawa-sensei

2007-06-12T10:15:00.000+09:00

I would like for everyone to meet Mr. Oikawa, or Oikawa-sensei and he is known at school. Oikawa- sensei has been teaching English at Hanamaki Kita high school since before I arrived in Japan in August of 2004 and he is currently serving as the 3rd year teachers chairman.

I have worked very closely with Mr. Oikawa in my tenure at Hanamaki Kita. For the two and a half years I have been here, he was a first year and second year teacher. So we have worked very closely in team-teaching endeavors and we presently co-sponsor the English Club together.

Working with Oikawa has been a challenge at times. This is because he can be blunt and stubborn, just like me. But the more I have gotten to know him, the more I appreciate the fact that he sincerely cares about the students at Hanako and he has a great relationship with them. His popularity with the students is exceptional.

If you were to meet Mr. Oikawa in the person,　the first thing you notice is his short stature. He stands at just about 5 feet, which is short, even by Japanese standards. You would also notice the he lacks a significant amount of viable hair follicles on the top of his head. Despite all his physical shortcomings, Mr. Oikawa has a great sense of humor about himself and the world and is quick with a joke {or to light of up your smoke} to make your day a lot more enjoyable.

I have many interesting stories to tell about Mr. Oikawa, but I want to share two with you. The first one takes place soon after my arrival in Japan. I was sitting at my desk, immersed in boredom, but trying to come with fun, communicative, and effective activities for my students. I was running a few of them by Mr. Oikawa and he didn't like many of them. I committed a social faux pas` in any culture, and we got into shouting match in the middle of the staff room. In December, at the End of the Year Party (Bon Enkai), Mr. Oikawa and I were presented with the award for "Best Fight" by the teachers of Hanamaki Kita. By that time, we had buried the hatchet and Mr. Oikawa explained to the assembled (and drunk) teachers that we were friends...which is true! The other story happened this summer. The Professor and Momma Pitt had come to J-Land to visit and I took them to the school and showed them around. Naturally, I took them to the staff room so they could see where I spent 8hrs a day doing almost nothing. When the other teachers came back from the staff room, they met a few of them. Later on, while waiting outside the staffroom for them to meet Mr. Otsuki, my supervisor at the time, Mr. Oikawa and my dad talked for nearly an hour about pensions and retirement plans. Quite interesting, maybe not that funny.

When I leave Hanako, one of the people I am going to miss most is Mr. Oikawa. He has been a lense I see myself, and Japan through.

Insomnia Sucks...still

2007-06-10T03:31:00.001+09:00

Insomnia sucks. From the moment I arrived in Japan, sleeping through the night has been a task I usually don't complete on a regular basis. As to the reason behind this, I am at a loss to explain it. I acknowledge the fact I am an early riser by nature, but it is currently 3:30 a.m. and I cannot go back to sleep and I feel miserable. Why is the the case tonight? Well, there maybe a few reasons for it.

A distended stomach. I was involved in an eating contest last night and I my stomach is distended from eating too much soba (buckwheat noodles). One of Kozue's friends from Osaka wanted to try Wanko Soba, an eating competition native to Iwate and available in many soba restaurants in Hanamaki. In Wanko Soba, participants eat as many small bowls of piping hot soba noodles as fast they can. My advisary conceeded after consuming only 19 bowls. I continued to eat 71 bowls of soba, but with my competition conceeding, there was little need to gorge myself to secure victory.

Low caffine tolerance. Ever since the summer of 1999, when I gave up drinking soda for the summer, my tolerance for drinking any caffinated drinks has been horrendous and it I consume any caffinated beverage after noon, I usually can't sleep. Knowing this, I wanted something sweet at the conclusion of my soba mastication period, I ordered a small libation of Coke. Dispite its miniscule amount, the caffine is playing its part in keeping me awake or in a fitful slumber.
Stress. With the pressure and stress of leaving JET, finding other avenues of employment, and other lifestyle changes to take effect in the near future, it is highly likely that stress is playing a role in my insomnia.
The 4 a.m. wake-ups. It is now 4 a.m. and the sun is beginning to peak over the horizon, preparing to invade my bedroom.
A few others, but I won't go into detail about them.

Okay. I have said my peace. I am going back to bed now. A spirited Cricket match awaits me this afternoon.

Hockety Pockety Wockety Wack

2007-06-08T14:20:00.001+09:00

It's Friday afternoon at 14:20 and I have been sitting at my desk for the past six hours, doing very little except clock watching and napping. As I reflect on the week that just passed, I realize how pitiful it was that I only taught 3 classes all week! My thoughts are inevitably shifting toward my weekend plans. So as I sit at my desk and sip semi-cold water from my Nalgene bottle, I shall expound on my weekend plans, which are shaping up to be social, productive, and sporty!

This weekend, Kozue has friends coming to the 'Maki from out of town, so I will be dining with them tonight at a yet undetermined location. Local Hanamaki food will probably be on the menu. I honestly can't tell you what a local Hanamaki food would be....rice?

Tomorrow, I think I am going to waddle down to the hardware store near my apartment and buy some cardboard packing boxes. Granted, I have a large Rubbermaid bin, a few large computer boxes, and suitcases I can use for packing, but I am going to be giving a lot of my clothes to charity when I leave for reasons which include the following; they no longer fit, they are remnants and reminders of my college days, they are worn out, and I simply don't want to pack that much stuff home. As much as I will be taking pieces of Japan with me when I leave, I want to leave as much of me here as I can. Finally, I am going to pack up my books and other items of a librarial nature and send them back. Yes, I know it will be more expensive, but I always believed you can tell the tell the character of someone by how many and what kinds of books they have in their house. Personally, I don't want to be a thought a fool by my future friends and guests.

On Sunday, I will be experiencing the thrilling excitement of playing Cricket. From 13:00-18:00, I am going to swinging what amounts to a fraternity paddle at round, red, rubber spheroid in the hopes of scoring enough trips between wickets that my team is declared the victors. Not sure if that will happen, but we'll see.

On a final note, my employment spirits got a boost this week as I will be heading down to Osaka next Sunday to interview for an ALT position in Wakayama Prefeture; in the Kansai region. I know it's past my official deadline of June 16th, but that deadline was set for "nothing positive". An interview is considered positive, so the deadline has been extended, yet preparations still have to be made for a move, hence the plans for Saturday.

Peace!

Uniform Switcharoo!

2007-06-07T21:28:00.000+09:00

Pretty much all junior high and high schools in Japan have two different uniform styles; a summer and a winter style. Featured in this post are Hanamaki Kita's two uniform styles. Pictured above are two students modeling the winter uniform. The girls where a navy blue skirt, long-sleeved navy blue blazer, and a navy blue sailor neckerchief with navy accents. Navy blue stockings/tights and navy blue and grey cardigan sweaters are optional accessories permitted for the girls, but because of the winter glaciation temperatures, these accessories are pretty much standard. For the boys, they wear black pants and a black, military-style coat, with gold buttons bearing the Fleur De Lie, the symbol of Hanamaki Kita. (sorry for the lack of picture).

The material of these uniforms I believe is a heavier material and it may or may not help to insulate the students in the winter because even though the classrooms are equipped with heaters, the hallways are uninsulated and unheated. Walking through the halls of the school in the winter feels more like walking through an industrial freezer with windows. This uniform style is the style worn for the longest period of time. Students wear this style of uniform from October 1st to May 31st. During the fall, winter, and spring time when students are wearing this style of uniform, the classrooms looks very dark and gloomy.

Pictured above are two girls wearing the summer uniform for girls and in the background you can see a boy wearing the boys' summer uniform. For girls, the navy blue skirt continues to be worn, but the blazer changes to a lighter white blazer and the neckerchief changes to an azure blue with navy blue accents. The boys shed the black jacket and wear a white, button down shirt with black pants. Just about all the boys wear some sort of shirt underneath their uniform shirt as well, and the shirt doesn't have to be white. It can be any color! So I have lots of guys who look pink b/c they were red shirts underneath the white uniform.

It's funny how much these kids try to get away all in the name of self-expression, but if you asked all of them if they liked wearing uniforms to school, the majority of them would say they like to, though it stifles their individuality, many of them would not know what to wear to school if they didn't have to wear a uniform to school. Many of them want to go to school in America where students are not forced to wear uniforms. Yet, the current trend in many school districts around the U.S. is a move toward to a more standardized, tradtional dress-code similar to ones that existed in the 50's and 60's. Funny how history repeats itself and the grass truly is greener on the other side.

Gettin' Off The Crazy Train

2007-06-07T08:40:00.000+09:00

Yesterday's post, since deleted, elicited quite a response from those who read it. Such an outpouring of concern was generated that I confided with TOModachi and with the Professor for nearly an hour a piece last night.

Let me be the first to assure you that yesterday's posting was more a product of boredom, stress, and frustration than one of despair and depression. I was all alone with my thoughts yesterday and feeling stressed about the future and needing to vent, I acted out. This kind of stress can manifest itself in many returning JET's who, though quite successful, open-minded, and well traveled persons, find their post-JET prospects and opportunities severely lacking at the end of their Japanese sojourn. I am no different. However, being the Virgo that I am, I like to have a plan, any plan, no matter how loose or well constructed it is. When I don't have a plan, it tends to make a me a tad bit demented and crazy.

Tomodachi gave me some good advice last night. I won't go into detail of what he told me, but he intimated that I am pretty set as for my immediate post-JET plans, which include going home and helping my family move my sister to Boulder, Colorado. A family road trip may be just what I need to take some time for myself and relax after what is shaping up to be a stressful two months until I board that plane at Narita on August 6th. One thing that won't be complicating matters is an unplanned and unexpected trip I was hoping to take to China with the Professor. Newly declassified details of the planned escape now complicate matters for a return to Japan doing so would deplete my paid holidays to the point where I could not take care of some upcoming business up coming business in Tokyo or elsewhere in Japan.

Today should be better. I have 3 classes to teach with Mr. Konishi and that will keep busy for 1/2 the day.

Cheers!

Footprints in the Sand

2007-06-05T10:33:00.000+09:00

This one of my favorites. It's about how I am feeling now. A little bit of help right now Lord would be wonderful.

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,

other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because

I noticed that during the low periods of my life,

when I was suffering from

anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,

“You promised me Lord,

if I followed you,

you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life

there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied,

“The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand,

is when I carried you.”

Mary Stevenson

Setting a deadline

2007-06-04T07:40:00.000+09:00

On Saturday, I had an informal meeting with representatives from the Zenrinkan language school. I thought things went well and they said that I would hear back from them in about two weeks regarding my application. Two weeks from Saturday would be June 16th.

Because Kozue and I are trying to make other plans contingent on me staying in Japan or returning to the U.S., I have decided to make June 16th my official deadline. On June 16th, if I do not hear from Zenrinkan or any other employment opportunity I have thrown my hat in the ring for within Japan, I will return to the United States and begin my life over there.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Golden Week 2005 Road Trip Reunion

2007-06-02T10:11:00.000+09:00

Ms. Anna, a mutual friend of the Doctor and the Pittmeister, relaxes and enjoys a beer and a smoke at a izakaya in Hanamaki on Thursday night. Two years after leaving the JET Program after a three year tenure in Morioka, she returned to the inaka as an employee of Yokohama Inc. While traveling in Japan for business, she made her way up to Iwate to see old friends still residing in the prefecture and gain the acceptance and approval of her future in-laws. The Doctor and The Pittmeister had a reunion of sorts with Ms. Anna, during which we reminisced about the impromptu Golden Week road trip we took two years ago and the memories which are still fresh in our minds; notably the night in the lonely but cheesy, side-of-the-road love hotel in Akita Prefecture where the Doctor uttered the immortal words, "Hey look! Lube!" while looking at the "mini-bar" in the room.

After dining and drinking at the pub was at an end, we departed ourselves for a local convenience store to re-supply for the after party at the Pittmeister's party palace. For pictures of this after party, please continue reading.

Here we have the Doctor asleep or passed out on the couch as the Pittmeister attempts to interrogate him using his blue torch (flashlight). Little useful information could be drawn from the Doctor as he was increasingly surly and uncooperative, thanks to his consumption of Chu-Hi and several bottles of Krauterfreund; a German after dinner liqueur. The effect of the torch however is ruined by the overexposing flash of the camera used to take picture, which regrettably lacked an effective night vision mode.

Kozue, a light drinker, thought it would be a good idea to try and eat the Blue Interrogation Torch after drinking approximately 1 beer. Actually, the flash from the camera once again ruined this picture because what we were trying to take a picture of Kozue's mouth lit up from the torch. Not very G-rated is it?

Everything is coming up Daisies

2007-06-02T10:01:00.001+09:00

When I was a child, one of my favorite summer activities would be to help my dad as he meticously planted and pruned his garden. I would talk with him as he dug in the dirt, planted flowers, sifted out the rocks in dirt using a hand-made "rock filter", and hand-watered many of the more delicate plants. As I got older, I took more of an active role in helping (not that much actually), but I still enjoyed helping out wherever I could. I knew my day had come when he allowed to use a roto-tiller he had bought because his back and knees could not take sitting on the ground, or using his spine-fork to turn the dirt over.

Now as I get older, I think about how I would landscape my own house, when/if I buy one. I am sure I would use the time after I get off work, to dig in the dirt, weed, and water my carefull plantings.

I don't do much gardening here in Iwate, but there are plenty of wild daisies in full bloom around my apartment right now. Here are some of the better pictures.

Hope you enjoy them.

I am "Mado-Giwa-Zoku"

2007-05-28T17:43:00.000+09:00

A friend and fellow ALT here in Iwate recently sent this to me in an email. I thought it was funny and sort of fitting to our location on the office totem pole, so I am posting it:

The typical Japanese worker likes to be busy at work, and eagerly accepts
positions of responsibility. However, sometimes employees who have passed their
prime (or proven themselves unreliable) are given decreased workloads. These
workers are often given a seat by the window, where they idle their workdays
away. These workers comprise the so-called “window-seat tribe,” or
mado-giwa-zoku.

Most mado-giwa-zoku employees are middle managers who have
managerial titles, but no subordinates, and little responsibility. Japanese
companies are traditionally hesitant to shed redundant staff, so the fate of the
mado-giwa-zoku is a kind of “in-house retirement.”

From one perspective, this might not seem like a bad bargain for
the window seat employees. They continue to draw paychecks, but don’t have to
work much in return. However, few Japanese aspire to become mado-giwa-zoku--and most look upon those workers with a mixture of disdain and pity. In
group-oriented Japan, personal identity is closely tied to one’s identity at
work. Therefore, a worker who has been put out to pasture in this way suffers
from a loss of self-esteem--not to mention boredom.

Road Trippin' with Papa Yama

2007-05-27T20:12:00.001+09:00

A few weeks ago, Kozue's dad, alias "Papa Yama", invited me to accompany him on a journey to an inaka village located along the northern coast of Iwate called Tanohata. I was not sure of the catalyst what precipitated such an invitation, but perhaps it was a recent redefinition of the nature of my association with his daughter. Nevertheless, I considered his proposal and weighed it against the current plans I had for this weekend. I am not sure what possessed me at the time, but I came to the conclusion that a trip to a northern, coastal, inaka village was a far more important opportunity than getting gassed with fellow players in Morioka.

The journey began when I rendezvoused with Papa Yama for breakfast at his house. I was a bit late to the muster because I was suffering the after effects of a spirited game of "Asshole" played the night before with Daddaluma, J-Cup, and J-Cup's S/O Akun at our local watering hole. After reversing over the railing, I groggily took a shower and left in a tornado of arms, teeth, and fingernails. Once at PY's house, he informed me that we would have 3 more traveling companions. Two would meet-up with us in Hanamaki at the most random place ever...the Hanamaki Interchange, with other one meeting us at the Morioka Interchange. My first logical and coherent thoughts of the day were, "Why can't we just pick them up at their house? That's what we did in Scouts!" Our destination for the day would be a bakery/school for handicapped people that had, "oishi pan." After informing me of our accompanying travel buddies and ultimate destination, we went outside to load of the car with our "luggage." The "luggage" ended up being a garbage pale filled with miso, two sacks of a substance I presumed was rice or flour, three wooden milking stools, and about five bouquets of flowers. After bidding our farewells to Mama Yama and Koz, we set off to rendezvous with our traveling companions.

Meeting the first two people, Taro-kun(man) and Ono-san(old woman) was no problem. They were already at the rendezvous point when we arrived, but didn't recognize us until we got of the car. Apparently, P.Y. didn't tell them that we would be taking my car, causing us to be incognito while sitting in the Slush Puppy. Meeting the third and final group member took a little bit more time and patience. We had to wait 30 extra minutes as my three Japanese compatriots waited in the parking lot for Weaver Woman. The after 30 minutes, they were still standing on the side of the road looking at every car that went by us, hoping that Weaver Woman would be one of them. Nothing was being done, like using a cell phone and it was during this time that the famous quote, "the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results." After 30 minutes, Ono-san looked across the street and spotted Weaver Woman sitting in her car. After the obligatory hello bows, we clamored into the Slush Puppy and set off on our journey to the bakery.

We arrived at the bakery/school around 1300 and were promptly fed a lunch of fish soup (with the bones and fins still attached), the "delicious bread", salad, and peanut butter. Lacking any visible signs of handicapped people on the premises, I came to the assumption that this was not a school, but rather a coven of the village's old spinsters and two younger people who had sworn to lead a life of eternal celibacy and obedience. My initial impression was only enhanced the following morning at breakfast when I discovered that all of the workers at this school/bakery/spinster coven, lived in the same house across the street. After lunch, Weaver Woman and Ono-san decided they were going to dye some cloth an indigo blue. Wanting to be manly men, P.Y., Taro-kun(T.K.), and I left to see the prime tourist attraction...Kitayamazaki, a rocky outcropping into the Pacific Ocean. A view of the coast was elusive as it was clouded in a fog and unrelenting drizzle. When we made our return to the coven, we discovered that Halloween had come early for Weaver Woman, Ono-san, and one of the spinsters named Atsuko-san, had dyed their hands a beautiful Smurf blue.

After returning to the coven, we took Ono-san and Weaver Woman to the onsen at hotel located right on the coast, looking out onto the ocean. The water was hot and the sauna even hotter. We didn't last long in the unrelenting heat and steam and quickly made a beeline for the changing room. Dinner that night was a home cooked Chan-Chan, which is mix of trout, onions, and cabbage all cooked together in aluminum foil over a fire...quite tasty. Still feeling the effects of my exploits the night before, I retired early and did not hear P.Y. come to bed until 3a.m....just in time for the sunrise!

Day 2 of the road trip began early as we were all up and ready to go by 7:30. As mentioned before, we ate at the "bosses" house across the street from the coven buildings and it was quite homely. After breakfast, we set out for Kuji, where we visited the Kuji Amber Museum. I have always wondered why Amber is such a sought-after stone. All you're going gaga over is hardened tree sap, which just so happens to have insects frozen in it. After that, we began our journey back home, during which PY finally let me drive my own car.

I have some other thoughts and reflections on the trip, but they are better said in person.

My Response To American Ethnocentrism

2007-05-27T18:58:00.000+09:00

In response to the letter I recently posted, I sent the Arizona Daily Sun a Letter to the Editor of my own.

Here it is:

To the editor: This letter is in response to the letter you posted on May
24th entitled "Time to wait in line, just like Anne Frank". It is obvious to me
that the author has never been outside the United States of
America and therefore can not appreciate and celebrate the diversity
so prevalent in the United States, or the freedoms given to its people. He
complains about having to hear Spanish spoken when he eats his meals at
McDonald's, yet I wonder if he would he ever consider working such a
job for minimum wage or trying to learn a second language? He subtly accuses Europeans of not being able to speak English, yet
many of them are able to speak two or more languages fluently by the time
they graduate from high school. Can we say that about American high school
students? He is historically inaccurate in stating the Franke's were from
Denmark, they were not. They were Germans who moved to the Netherlands when
Hitler came to power and their hardships were far greater than simply
having to listen to another language spoken while eating a Big Mac. His
insensitivity toward their struggle and ultimate fate is shocking to someone who
has seen first-hand the conditions in which they lived. In closing his
letter, he proclaims "America for Americans!" What exactly is the definition of
an American? If it is ethnocentrism and monolinguistic ability, then I believe
Mr. Armenticci fits the description perfectly.

Brenden
Pitt
Japan

American Ethnocentrism

2007-05-25T18:19:00.000+09:00

I recently read this disturbing and overly ignorant Letter to the Editor from my local paper back home. Aside from the fact that this man needs some lessons in correct English grammar and spelling, he also needs some intense cultural sensitivity training. Somebody please flame him!:

To the editor: It's time we understood that the U.S. has always been strict
on immigration policy, especially in a time of war. A lot of people try to get
around everyone else in line by claiming hardship.

Well, heck we all have hardships. It's a hardship for me to go to
McDonald's and hear Spanish. Those people who want preferred treatment in front
of everyone else don't know the hardship of the average middle-class
American.

Why, I remember hearing about a story about some family who wanted U.S.
visas and preferential treatment to come live in my country, America. I think
they were from Denmark and their case tested the justnmess of the immigration
policy. This family said they were worried about Nazis. Can you imagine? I think
her name was Anne Frank or something. The time was 1941. The application for her
and her family's U.S. visas were denied. Well, why not?! They didn't speak
English.

There are 30 million people who want in our country and they got in line
like everyone else. Oh, I'm sure that Anne Frank and her family ended up OK.
They had other places to go. Not like they had to go into hiding or anythng.
Heck, even if they were, it would give this Anne Frank girl a chance to start a
new hobby ... like starting a diary or something.

America for Americans!

MARK ARMENTICCI
Flagstaff

Additional Inter-High Ceremony Pictures

2007-05-23T19:57:00.000+09:00

Hanako students doing one of their favorite cheers during the "free for all" cheering time after the ceremony.

Hanamaki Kita students (wearing their summer uniforms) walk into the stadium. Most of the students in this cluster are in the Judo club, a club Hanakita is very strong in.

Hanamaki Kita students watching another school cheer for them. Notice the hair style of the one if the middle. I think he almost looks like an anime character.

Iwate-ken Inter-High Opening Ceremony

2007-05-23T17:39:00.000+09:00

Today was the Opening Ceremony for Iwate's Inter-High School Sports Tournament in Morioka. It is a time when high school's from around the Ken gather to cheer on members of their student body and encourage them to do their best in their chosen sport. It was second time in my tenure at Hanamaki Kita that I have attended this event. I never quite sure in what capacity I am serving however. Am I a teacher-chaperone or am I just the token foreigner who they feel needs to be exposed to something as "Japanese" as the Inter-High ceremony. Personally, I hope it's a mix of both.

In addition to the students who are competing in the tournament, each school sends a delegation of its students to represent it. Many smaller schools, like a high school in Yuda, send their entire student body. While larger schools such as Hanamaki Kita limit their representation to their Oendan cheerleading club and 1st year students. The reasoning behind this is because the 1st students have a far lighter workload that more advanced students and since it is a new experience for them, they will be more energetic about the experience, hence louder cheering volume.

We left the school on seven buses around 10a.m. and arrived at the ceremonial venue a little past 11:30. I rode with Otsuki-sensei and the hooligans of 1-G class. I haven't much sleep lately, so I slept most of the trip. At the stadium, we were off-loaded from the buses and students were seated in the stands, but stood when the time came for them to cheer.

Cheer time last until 13:00 when the ceremony started. Each school's representative athletes were announced as they marched into the stadium with their standard bearer. After marching about 1/2 lap around the running track, they were directed onto the field at one of two locations where they were seated. After all schools had entered the stadium and been seated on the field, a series of "do your best" and "gambatte" speeches by Prefectual government officials were given.

The entire ceremony itself lasted about 30 minutes, after which the Oendan clubs of each ran out onto the field for individual performances on the field. Hanako's Oendan are very traditional (as seen in the above picture). Two other schools' Oendan clubs dress in the same traditional manner as Hanako's, but many have adapted a more modern looking style. Some have even adopted the western style of cheerleading with girls in the short skirts and pom-poms. During this Genki Free For-All, many schools who have a long drive back home leave. Hanako's students stayed until they were one of the few remaining schools and further cementing themselves and one of the elite schools in the Ken.

What's My Motivation Again?

2007-05-22T05:50:00.000+09:00

Two months remain until I say my final goodbye to the students and staff of Hanako and my official responsibilities could not be any busier or any less important.

With the exception of Tuesdays, my new schedule has me teaching no less than 3 classes per day on the weeks I teach 14 lessons. In addition, three times a week, I am bombarded with 10 question word quizzes, of which I am supposed to correct seven questions of usually arbitrary words such as; "relevant" or "manage". This task, while menial and tedious, usually takes me no more than three seconds per quiz depending on how many are incorrect. Please believe me when I say I think it's great students are learning such useful vocabulary words, but how are they putting them together into words and sentences to develop their ability.

At present, I find myself correcting sections of a recently given exam. One section is testing their declarative knowlege English by asking them to correctly list and spell the days of the week, the months of year, and past and past participle tenses of 15 selected verbs worth 49 points. Many of them are passing this section with perfect or near perfect marks. The 2nd part, worth 30 points, I am sure assesses their procedural knowledge of English by asking them to supply words missing from the text and (not) surprisingly, many of them are doing much more poorly on this section....which leads me to my next point.

I have long conceeded to the fact that what my students desire is not ability, but knowledge. For many, they only seek wisdom of the English language to get a higher score on the all-important Center Test (college entrance exam) so they can metriculate at an elite university within Japan. It is for this reason that I abandoned the dream of doing fun, communicative activities in my classes. The students would be too shy to speak or would spend five minutes checking with their friends if the verb and/or verb tense they were about to use would be correct. Never would they believe that it's not the correctness with which they speak, but fact that they speak at all. Instead, I have saved these types of activities, such as Taboo, Pictionary and Talkopoly, for my English club activity days.

The honeymoon period between Konishi-sensei and myself is officially over as I have realized that I have been relegated to that role that all ALT's fear the most...the human tape recorder. To put salt in the wound, he even uses a CD player in the classroom. My duties have been reduced to simply reading two or three pages of pronunciation words at the beginning of every class and at times impersonating a bad English accent. This task is so tedious and dull that, like the students, I even find myself getting sleepy. I should not be surprised by this development however because my job title does have the word "assistant" in it. However, it is a bitter pill to swallow after being the lead teacher in the classroom for so long. As a consquence, any motivation I had for teaching 1st year students has quickly dissipated.

Finally, a note on the picture. That is a picture I took of a poster which hangs in my school outside the nurses room. I thought the girl was cute and with the words, "No Drug" at the bottom, it makes me ponder if the Japanese really understand it's meaning.

Peace!

Human Interest Series #1

2007-05-20T06:53:00.000+09:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to introduce to you Mr. Tyler Beal. Since 2004, Tyler Beal has been working as an ALT in Koriyama city in Fukushima-ken, though the roots of his family tree run through Colorado and Tennessee.

Before coming to Japan, Tyler and I were both acquainted with each other from having taken several education and history classes together at N.A.U. Tyler heard about JET through me when I was in the middle of the application process. Tyler ended up coming over with Group A, myself with Group C, and neither of us knew the other was here until we saw each other at the Re-Contracting Conference in Tokyo in 2005. Since that time, I have visited him twice in Koriyama and stayed in his modern apartment. He has ventured north once, last September for the Hanamaki Matsuri. Because the skiing is really good up here, I kept trying to get him up to Hanamaki for a weekend of skiing and boarding, but his social calendar kept filling up with dates. He has yet to find a cure for his "Yellow Fever".

I have made reference to him several times on this blog, usually under the aliases of "T-Bill", "T-Cell," or "Grizzly Adams", so named because of his penchant for wearing plaid, flannel shirts.

In our friendship, we share a love of the outdoors, liberal politics, history and social studies, teaching, drinking, and ogling beautiful Japanese women. In the even that neither of us found post-JET employment, we had planned to hike the Colorado Trail together when we returned to the U.S. this fall. Regrettably, that will not be happening as he will be moving to Kuwait to take a job as a social studies teacher with the American international school there. The perks of his new job are enticing, as I have perused their website at Tyler's insistance. However I believe Tyler will find his freedom limited, domestic travel confined, and dating prospects outside of his co-workers as dry and sparse as the desert which will surround him. I can not deny the fact that the opportunity to live in an Arab country was too much of an opportunity for him to pass up and I wish him well.

So, this is for you Tyler...a proper Japanese send-off:

Gambatte! Gambatte! Taira Bi-ru!
Gambatte Taira Bi-ru, Gambatte Taira Bi-ru!

The Real World: Iwate

2007-05-17T19:07:00.001+09:00

If MTV ever casted a "Real World: Iwate", this would be the perfect cast, and not solely based on the fact that I would be on the show or that we all live here already.

From left to right we have Edwin "Can I show you my chokehold?" Solorzano, Brenden "The Pittmeister" Pitt,"T", Debbie "Supa FOB" Wong, Maia "I'm a Twin" Anderson, Tamsin "I hate spiders" Van Tonder, and finally Sam "Daddaluma" Ford.

Now, let's meet our cast and why they would be good for the show:

Edwin hails from California, but his family roots are in El Salvador. Some of his family members still live there. Because of this, he is fluent in Spanish. Edwin is the athlete of the group. He was an amateur boxer before going to school and he nearly went pro, but decided an education was better, so he settled on UCLA, a fact not lost on many people because of his penchant for wearing clothes emblazoned with UCLA logos and mascots. In addition to boxing, Edwin also does Judo and is preparing to get his black belt in the sport on May 20th. His favorite book is Dr. Seuss's Oh The Places You'll Go! and he reads it often to his students as an icebreaker. Here in Iwate, he is assigned to three different places; 2 high schools and the Hanamaki Education Center. After finishing his JET contract in July, Edwin plans to move to Tokyo or Osaka where he won't have to endure the cold winters so common in Iwate.

Me: I'm not going to write about myself. You readers can write about what would make me a good "Real World: Iwate" cast member in the comment section.

"T" comes from the land of the Beatles...Liverpool. He could be the stereotypical "British drinker" character on the show. He likes playing soccer and going to nomihoudai (all you can drink) parties in Morioka. T is known for his cutting quick wit and thick, scouser, Liverpool accent. After finishing JET this July, he's planning on moving Thailand and perhaps start a business.

Debbie, aka "Supa FOB" is the Academic/Over-Achiever in the group for the pure and simple reason she's a graduate of UC-Berkeley. She is the daughter of Chinese immigrants to the U.S. and makes her home in norther California, in the S.F./Sacramento/Davis area. She could also play the part of the beautiful, social butterfly on the show, who would party with Phil on the weekends to see who could out drink the other one.

Maia Anderson is also from the L.A. area. She's the artistic one of the group with plans to attend Art school after finishing JET. Her hobby is photography, but she also has a black belt in martial arts, so she can kick ass when she wants to. She comes from a large family with 5 kids, the youngest being ~3 years old, and has a twin brother.

Tamsin or "Tammy" as she prefers to be called, comes from South Africa. She is the "Person from a Country Nobody Knows About" character and will make it her mission educate people about South Africa as much as possible. She would be proud of her country and all of her friends and family would come and visit her on the show. Tammy, Debbie, and Maia would unite and be the "Girl Gang" of the show, which would fight against the testosterone imbalance in the house.

Lastly, we have Sam. Sam would be the homebody of the group. He prefers to stay at home and play video games. He is what the Japanese call "otaku", which is a person who is obsessed with "manga"(comics), "anime"(cartoons), and video games. Sam went to Cornell and majored in Philosophy, so he could rival Debbie for the title of Cast Academic/Over-achiever. Sam is the instigator of the group, since he constantly corrects people on their faults and shortcomings, yet claims to have none of his own.

Well, there is your "Real World: Iwate" cast in a nutshell. I think it will make for interesting television. Don't you?

Log Homes of Hanamaki

2007-05-15T22:25:00.000+09:00

I have long held an affection for log homes. They just look rustic and cool. The kind of house you walk into and expect to find a steaks from a freshly killed elk cooking over the fire and the head of that freshly killed elk being mounted over the very same fire. There is some Americana mixed with the mystique of a log home or log cabin. I can't explain it.

The preceeding are some log cabin homes found in my city of Hanamaki. There are more than these 4 I am sure, but these particular abodes caught my attention while I have been out walking, so I used my 5.1 megapixel Sony Cybershot camera to photograph them. I think they add some charm to an otherwise homogenous world.

What do you think?

Feel free to leave your comments

Pictures of Recent Adventures

2007-05-12T08:42:00.000+09:00

This a group picture from the May 9th Talk-Talk Manchome English Camp at Hanamaki Minami High School. Pictured (from left to right) in the photo are are ALT's: Debbie Wong (U.S.), Hugh Bloor (U.K.), Phil Tysoe(U.K.) Me, Denise Doose(U.S.), and Tamsin (South Africa).

Erin Spoonster, Phil Tysoe, and Elena McCune dancing in the Esashi Junku Masturi on May 5th. I don't who the Scotsman is behind Erin (guy with sunglasses).

Kozue among the sakura trees at Hirosaki Castle in Hirosaki, Aomori. Sakura are Kozue's favorite flower and are truly stunning when they first burst out. I think I am going to have to plant some cherry trees when I buy a house.

Favorite Picture

2007-05-12T08:36:00.000+09:00

This is probably my favorite picture taken in Japan. Tyler took when we were both in Sapporo for the Yuki Matsuri (Snow Festival).

Job Search Update.

2007-05-12T07:12:00.000+09:00

For those of who read this (I'm not sure who you are) I thought I would give you a brief update and rundown of the jobs I have applied for as part of my job search and their known, unknown, and assumed results.

Great Hearts Academies. Ancient and Medieval history teacher. Mesa & Chandler, AZ: Pending (probably denied)
Goshen County School District. Wyoming: Denied.
Longview School District. Longview, WA. 9-12 Social Studies: Denied.
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Community Schools. Scottsdale, AZ: Pending
Grand County School District. Moab, UT: Pending
Tahoma School District. Maple Valley, WA: Pending
Greek Organziations Advisor. Trinity University. San Antonio, TX: Pending
Associate Director of Admissions/Coordinator of Outreach and Multi-Cultural Recruitment. Miami University. Oxford, OH: Pending
Director of Off-Campus Programs. St. Lawrence University. Canton, NY: Pending.

Wow! I thought I had applied to a lot more than just nine positions. An opportunity to teach English in Seoul came to my attention recently, but after speaking with the recruiter on the phone, I decided the job was not what I was looking for and did not even apply.

Golden Week with Kozue & Brenden

2007-05-06T17:27:00.000+09:00

For this post, I am trying something new. Kozue and I are going to write it together. What's going to happen is there will be a heading posted naming what we did during our Golden Week holiday and underneath, each of us will give our own accounts of that experience.

Friday, May 4th, 2007. Climbing Mt. Goyo and the Esashi Jinku Matsuri:

Kozue: We couldn't reach the top of Mt. Goyo because we left Hanamaki at 9a.m. and it was a little bit late. Probably, we should have chosen to go through Ofunato. The route to the entrance through Kamaishi was too long. We both wanted to start from the same entrance, but our directions to the starting point were different. Brenden got his directions from Jeff in Kamaishi, but I wanted to go through Ofunato. It was the same entrance!

Brenden: The itch for some hiking and mountain climbing finally became too much for me to bear, so Koz and I headed to Goyo-san, a mountain down along the coast of Iwate to shake the rust off of our hiking legs. Because of late start due to route disagreements, late sleeping on both our parts, and a seemingly endless drive to the trail head, we were unable to start hiking until 12:10. Though my pace started out quite perky and brisk, it soon changed to a more languid one. Going up, Kozue hiking pretty much in front of me as I took frequent breathers and rests in my effort to get up the mountain. At the 7th stage, we had been on the trail for two and a half hours. We met several people who warned us that snow was prevalent at higher elevations and and the view was obscured because of the haze caused by farmers burning their cuttings. Not wanting to get stuck on the mountain at dark, we turned around went back to the car, vowing to return for another try. On the way down, I was the hiking in front as Kozue, just like Momma Pitt, had trouble navigating the steep slope with rocks, and birds, and things. After getting back to the car, we rested for about thirty minutes, then set off for Esashi and their matsuri. While there, we saw several JET's dancing in the parade and nearly went crazy with repetitive song(s) being played. We left around 8.

Saturday, May 5th, 2007. Takatamatsubara Beach

Kozue: We went to Takatamatsubara to relax on the beach, but when we got to the beach, it started to rain soon. So we escaped to Brenden's car and we had snacks, watched a black car with a young couple kissing in it. I felt familiar because I used to live in Rikuzentakata when I was in elementary school. Some places have really changed but same places have stayed the same. Oysters were yummy! That's all!

Brenden: Kozue and I went to the beach for some relaxing. We did some splashing in the water and rested on the beach then came home. That's all!

Bad English Awards: 1st Assignment

2007-05-01T15:09:00.000+09:00

I have just finished grading the first homework assignments themed "Self-Introduction", for my second year students and here are the winners and their respective categories

1.) Best New Vocabulary Word for native English speakers:

Lumbago= pain in the lower part of the back.

"I am a member of the baseball club, but I can't play right now because of lumbago."

2.) Most Shocking Sentence:

"She a member of the brass band club and she plays the faggot. The faggot is very hard."

3.) Your Moment of Zen (Yes, I know I am stealing from "The Daily Show")

"She is shorter than me, but looks taller than me."

4.) Word I Couldn't Begin to Fathom: chirography.

I think this was supposed to be calligraphy, but I can't be sure. If so, that is the worst spelling of calligraphy I have ever seen.

In closing this post, I would like add that you may have noticed that The Daily Laundry has undergone a face lift of sorts. That is because I thought it needed a change.

*Since posting this, I would like to say that I found out the Japanese call a Bassoon a Faggot (its Italian name) and chirography is the study of penmanship; closely related to calligraphy.

The Pittmeister becomes The Cricketmaster and Other Weekend Escapades

2007-04-30T07:24:00.000+09:00

Greetings once again from J-Land.

As I woke from my fitful slumber this morning, I was once again reminded of J-Land's relative position in its respective time zone...far east! The sun has once again started to rise extremely early, which makes sleeping-in extremely difficult and fitful. But then again, those who know me, know that I am a lark when it comes to getting up in the morning. Why I have been known to burst forth from my bed, wide-awake, roaring to go, and singing "Rise and Shine and give God the glory glory, children of the Lord!"

After having a week of constant, or the threat of constant rain, it's nice to be able to see the sun and a blue, if not a bit hazy, sky. Feeling invigorated this morning, I went out for a little exercise at the local running/jogging/walking track near my apartment and got about 25 minutes of moderate exercise to help burn-off the beer keg I seem to have grown in my past three years in J-Land.

Okay, a recap about what I did this weekend before playing Cricket:

First on Friday night, I crashed a cherry blossom viewing bbq party Kozue's office was having in a nearby park. In the process, I met her boss, her franchisee, and got to eat, drink, and be merry with all of her co-workers. Thinking that I would not be privy to the provided party provisions, I brought my own beer, stick hotdogs, yakitori, and sweet donuts. When it came time for the party to commence, it was my bag of food and foam that was opened first by her boss. Shock and disbelief would only allow me to utter, "hey that's mine!". But it turned out okay. Kozue's franchisee ended up paying the party fee for me and I unwittingly paid for Kozue when asked for the 2,000en/person to be tossed into the proverbial hat. The party was at its acme when the two head honchos tried to get a young tenderfoot known as Ara-chan to dance. Doing my part to bring embarrassment and shame upon him, I chimed in with, "don't think, just do it!", which was adopted as the party slogan.

When the party was at its end, Kozue's franchisee and I ended up having a strange conversation. As his cronies were putting out the fire and cleaning up the bbq grill, he said to me, "this is what we do in Japan to dead people. Do you do the same in America?" A conversation ensued about the burial rights and rituals of Americans and Japanese, and their differences. We didn't part ways until after the lights in the park had been turned off by some phantom park monitor and the other cronies had gone home to be reunited with their families or back to the office to claim their cars.

Saturday night, Kozue I went to another cherry blossom party in Morioka at the site of the old Nambu castle, which is now Iwate Park. I was told it was bring your own food, so I brought hot dogs on a stick and some hamburger patties to cook on my spiffy Coleman bbq grill, which Kozue and I dutifully hauled from the car to the park. When we got there, I was informed by one of the party (poopers) planners that I could not, under any circumstances, light my bbq grill in Iwate Park; to which I retorted, "Why not? The castle has already burned down!" My humor was apparently lost on its intended target and Kozue and I collectively said, "bugger!", and had to resign ourselves to eating the homemade taco salad I had prepared and any communal snacks that were available.

Okay, now about Cricket. First, a backstory. About three months ago, I went to an enkai in Morioka put on by the Morioka Cricket Club, or "MCC" for short. It quickly became obvious to me that since I was coming to this enkai, I would be expected to participate in Cricket practices and games scheduled for the upcoming year, but also get the benefit of being invited to any of the parties involved. I figured it was a fair trade; indulge myself in a very "English" game, get to attend nomihoudai parties occassionally with foreigners outside the JET circle of gaijin, and meet some English speaking Nihonjin. Deep down, this is what I had wanted since the day I stepped off the Boeing 747 at Narita three years ago! I had planned on attending previous practices, but ol' Mother Nature wouldn't let us play Cricket...that old battle axe! So finally, the weather cleared up we had a practice on Sunday.

The basic premise of Cricket is one person, the "batsman" tries to hit a rubber ball about the size of tennis ball thrown by the "bowler", who wants to hit the batsman's "wickets" (3 small pieces of wood behind the batsman). This man's, the batsman, only line of defense is a flat-sided bat, similar in size and shape to a fraternity paddle and his body, which is normally covered in excessive padding. He, the batsman, wants to do 1 of 2 things. He either wants to hit the ball far enough a field so that he and a partner can run between the wickets and score runs or he can simply protect the wickets, using his paddle or his body. The "bowler", tosses the ball in the direction of the batsman using a windmill motion of his arm, keeping his throwing arm straight. A good strategy for aiming is to point your non-throwing hand toward heaven to pray you don't hit the batsman with your "bowling" ball. There several ways a batsman can be "out." One is if he ball is caught in the air by a player of the opposing team. The second, his wickets can be struck by the bowler's ball. Finally, he simply can't run fast enough and is tagged before he reaches a wicket post. I know for many Americans who are reading, this game does not make sense, and I agree with you that it doesn't...until you actually play. The practice lasted 2 hours and then we all went home to enjoy our Sunday afternoons. For a more detailed explanation of the rules of Cricket, click here.

My Sunday afternoon was spent with Kozue, being shown apartments in Hanamaki in the event I am hired within Japan, within Iwate, and I choose to live in Hanamaki. I looked at four apartments and all were nice and more modern than my present one for the simple fact they had flushing toilets with built-in bidets. And with a built-in bidet, I honestly ask, "who needs toilet paper?" My favorite one was the 1st one I looked at. It was a 3rd floor apartment by the Kitakami River. It had 2 bedrooms (one north and one south), a tatami room, and a living room. It had a wide balcony where I could barbeque and watch the Hanamaki fireworks in the summer. Its rent was 61,000 yen/month, which I thought was pretty reasonable for the size and age of the apartment, but Kozue said she thought a member of her office could get that price discounted. Two of the places we looked at were brand-new, luxury apartments with lots of modern amenities such as a video intercom, but at ~70,000en/month (roughly $700), I would rather be putting that money into saving for a house!

An update on the job hunt for those of you who are interested. I may have mentioned this before, but despite my stellar qualifications, I was turned down at both Longview, Washington and Goshen County School District in Wyoming. I have since sent resumes to schools in Maple Valley, Washington and Scottsdale, Arizona. I have also sent an application to the Grand County School District located in Moab, UT, which is the birthplace of modern mountain biking. Despite my best efforts, I believe the prep school system I applied to in Mesa and Chandler has chosen a more qualified candidate. I have learned some good news and that is with the language school in Morioka. I have learned they have been extremely busy so little or no administration affairs work has been completed, so the search for what appears to be 2 openings with the school has not been done. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will be offered an interview at the very least. I just have a sneaking suspicion that I will be offered something at the last minute and things will once again be crazy and I relocate to another job and new apartment in a hurried rush.

In closing this posting, I would like to congratulate my friend Tyler Beal. He has been offered a job with the Universal American school in Kuwait and while I worry greatly about his safety, I am glad to hear he has been offered a job. On his blog, Daily Belly Button Lint ,he has put up a poll and you can vote for whether or not he should take the job, so I encourage you all to take his poll. Personally I am abstaining from it because I have spoken with him already and he knows my opinion on the situation.

That's all I have at this time. Thanks for reading.

"April Showers bring May Flowers"

2007-04-26T08:26:00.000+09:00

The cherry blossoms (sakura) have finally bursted forth and everything in Iwate is in bloom. It's quite a sight and Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties should be commencing momentarily. However the weather has not been cooperating as the soggy and sloggy spring continues unabated. This morning has been sunny, but it is already turning cloudy and according the news last night, thunderstorms are expected by the afternoon with snow possible in the mountains and higher elevations. I only live at 500 feet above sea level, I don't know what "higher elevations" they might be referring to in that weather report.

This week started out promising, with me having 4 classes to teach on Monday. However, this was the week that I was only teaching 7 classes and the other 3 would have been today. What has happened is Iwate decided to hold some sort of inter-high school sports tournament the next two days and my classes for today were cancelled, so that my overworked, grey-haired adolescents can run, jump, kick, shoot, and throw people and things around. Not that I am bitter about it all. No way! The one consolation in all of this has been that I have once again been inundated with English essay homework assignments to review and reconstruct, and that should keep my busy over the next two days.

I have been perusing my sister's MySpace blog of late. Last night I sat down to dip into the archives of her mind and life goings on. I won't say what I learned because she might be reading this and might not want me to share it with whomever might be reading this. But it did give me more insight into a person I shared a shower and sink with for 14 years because either never kept a diary when we were kids or if she did, she never told me where to find. Thank's Erin!. After reading her blog, I came to the conclusion that neither of us have become what we dreamed of when we were kids, stuck in the car for 2 and 1/2 days on the trip to Montana, and talking about our futures.

I can say that I definitely did not become either a lawyer or the starting right guard for the Denver Broncos. But I can't recall what she wanted to be. Perhaps she is becoming what she always wanted to be; a college professor. Regardless, I am proud of her accomplishments and everything she is doing to achieve her dream. I wish I had the same drive and ambition that she has, but then again our approaches to life are very different. However, as our life paths have diverged wildy, both of us will be facing the same struggle of starting over this August. She is moving to Boulder, CO to metriculate at the University of Colorado for her Master's in Classical Archeology, and I will be moving on from JET and either moving back to the U.S., remaining here in Japan, or doing something entirely. Who knows?

That's about all I have to say this morning. The procrastination living within is beginning to wane and the notebooks and my grade book are looking at me with big brown puppy dog eyes, begging me to use them. I guess I have to accommodate them. That's all for today.

Monday Morning Corner Cutting

2007-04-23T09:02:00.000+09:00

Happy Monday Everybody!

I don't feel like a long, loquacious blog entry today. I have 4 classes to help teach today, so I will just give ya'll a few updates and notes to start the week with:

Last week was my first week of teaching and it went very well. Mr. Konishi and I have a great dynamic and work very well together. Hopefully it will continue for the remainder of my time here at Hanakita.
Kozue and I took our 1st weekend trip this weekend. We went to Aoni onsen in Aomori-ken. Aoni onsen is an isolated, rustic, quaint, and seriously antiquated onsen ryokan. I had been twice before, but Kozue had never been before. Seeing as she likes going to onsens (hot springs) so much, I knew she would like this one. Plus, she is finally able to take weekends off after weathering the busy season storm at the real estate office where she is employed.
I am 0 for 2 in my job search. Positions with schools in Washington and Wyoming did not believe I would be a good fit for their school(s). I still have a resume and an application packet in with a language school in Morioka and a prep school in the Phoenix area, so hopefully something will turn up there. It's a bit discouraging, but I am sure something will turn up. I just have to keep trying and looking.
It has been a wet spring, but the sakura on the verge of bursting out. This weekend should be prime for cherry blossom viewing and I am planning on attending a Hanami Party in Morioka on Sunday the 29th. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate.

Brenden Likes....

2007-04-21T09:39:00.000+09:00

Google is useful for many things, one of the best reasons is to kill the time I seem to have in abundance while driving my desk at work. Recently, I have found a new game you can play with Google. What I have done was go to Google and input the words "Brenden" and "likes" into the box and clicked on Search to what would come up. The following are the results, which I think are pretty amusing if I do say so myself (and I do say so myself). It should be noted that because of the odd spelling of my name, Google thought it should have been "Brendan likes", which may explain why the entries weren't so forthcoming as others

1. Brenden likes Beer Pong Shots.

2. Brenden likes asparagus. He also has large helpings of baked potato and cheese! He also loves baby Yogurt!!!!

3. Brenden likes to hide the things we take from the classroom in our folders, although Mr. Behrman always finds them.

4. Brenden likes ECS agents' ability to detect devices on the corporate network by monitoring traffic in and out of the device.

5. Brenden says he likes to play inside and listen to music.

6. Brenden likes to be in bed by 8:30.

7. Brenden really likes his Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium. The bubble sounds would lull him to sleep when he was really little.

8. Brenden really likes red peppers too. How funny. I never thought he might have liked the color. Maybe that was the attraction. At least he eats his veggies.

9. Brenden likes to be Mr. Playboy.

10. Brenden does pretty much whatever he wants and likes to do everything (except go to bed)

That's pretty much it. Hopefully you find these as amusing as I did, and please, try this game for yourself.

Thoughts on Gun Control

2007-04-19T15:50:00.000+09:00

Recently, there have been two significant gun related crimes which have happened around me. The first one is the massacre at Virginia Tech, which I am sure most bloggers are blogging about and because of that, I am going to follow my "against the grain" instincts and resist temptation.

The other is the recent murder of the mayor of Nagasaki by a known member of Japan's organized crime syndicate, the Yakuza. Crimes in both countries were horrific tragedies and have called for a review of gun control policies in each country and more specifically the U.S.. In Japan it is simple, guns are illegal except for police and the few hunters who are specially licensed to own them. Yes, the criminals and crime syndicates have guns, but the general population is denied access to these weapons of death and violent crime here is very low, if almost non-existent with shootings making national news headlines due to their extreme rarity.

In the U.S., the issue of gun control is a very controversial topic and invites heated political debate whenever it is mentioned in political arenas. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is a very powerful lobby group which holds lots of sway and influence over many politicians in Washington D.C. The NRA panders to the conservative side of the political spectrum and many gun control opponents are die-hard, conservative members of the conservative Republican party. Democrats on the other hand are often portrayed as liberals who "want to take your guns away" by the Republicans because they typically support or sponsor gun-control bills like the Brady Bill, which was passed by President Clinton in the 1990's.

Another factor that leads to the perpetuation of gun ownership in the U.S. is the sheer size and diversity of the country. A person living in Long Beach probably doesn't need a gun and would not use it for a positive purpose. On the other hand, in a rural state like Montana, having a gun in standard equipment for a farmer and is used as a tool to shoot animals detrimental to his well-being. A blanket on firearms would be detrimental to his lifestyle. Until the United States becomes as urban as Japan, the necessity for certain members of the population to own a firearm will continue to exist.

I believe that the solution to gun-control is a sticky one. The primary problem resides in the American Constitution, which according to the language of the 2nd Amendment, give people "the right to bear arms." To outlaw guns in America, would take a Constitutional Amendment, some that has only happened 27 times in the nation's history and is something unlikely to happen in an ever growing Christian, conservative country which is growing more distrustful of its government.

My personal opinion on gun control is muddled. I believe in the 2nd Amendment and believe it should be honored, but I admit that times have changed sigficantly since the time it was written and perhaps it's time to put heavy restriction/possible ban, on hand gun ownership, considering the fact that most violent crime is comitted using those types of firearms. To those Americans who argue that a complete gun ban would take the guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens and keep them in the hands of criminals, I point out the fact that the VT shooter had no prior criminal record and purchased his weapons completely legally. If the gun control debate is reopened after this, I think a new solution should be reached, not just political rhetoric and posturing. Something needs to change and if I was living in the United States right now, I would be writing to my Congressman or Senator to express my opinion.

~steps off soapbox~

The Pittmeister Preps for Hiking

2007-04-18T11:06:00.000+09:00

One of the books I read recently was Bill Bryson's A Walk In the Woods and it documents his adventures while hiking the 2,174 mile Appalachian Trail in 1996. The book was a thing of beauty, mixed with biting wit and surly sarcasm, and it inspired me to looking into hiking AT myself if I return to the U.S. this summer and find myself unemployed. When I posed this question to my college buddy, and fellow outdoor enthusiast, Tyler "Grizzly Adams" Beal (his "Daily Belly Button Lint" is linked to my blog), he countered with the idea to hike the 2,500 Pacific Crest Trail, or PCT for short.

I had done some research on the PCT before and while it intrigued me to a point, the idea of hauling gallons and gallons of water across the 45mile Mohave Desert, scaling the Sierra Nevadas, and sloshing through the rain-soaked Cascades, didn't seem that appealing. So I did what every man who wants to get his way does...I opined to do the AT and claimed it was because we weren't that fit after working desk jobs for the past 3 years and encouraging him to actually do some research on the trail this time.

After doing some research on the AT, Tyler believed it would be too much of a drain on his budget, so he countered this time with the 480 mile Colorado Trail...CT. However, to do something like this, I will need to lose a lot more weight and do conditioning activities significantly more difficult than the 1.5 mile walk to work every morning and furious finger typing. I would need to do some prep hikes similar to the ones I did 10 years ago to prepare myself for my Philmont trek....I wonder if Dr. Austin is still alive?

Who Will I Meet in Heaven?

2007-04-17T12:25:00.000+09:00

This past weekend, I finished reading a book titled The Five People You Meet in Heaven. It was a book based on the premise that when we die and go to Heaven to be with God, it is not the misty paradise and Garden of Eden we have been led to believe. Instead, it is a space and time where we meet 5 people who were involved in our lives and they explain our lives to us and what our life meant. The main character in the book is an old man named Eddie, who at the age of 82, is still working as a maintenance worker at an amusement park and dies in a freak accident while trying to save a young girl, on a day which just so happens to be his birthday. I won't say anything else about the book, other than you should read it.

"Can't We All Just Get Along?"-Rodney King

2007-04-09T17:39:00.000+09:00

Despite yesterday's post about which Holy Father I am most alike, most of you know that I try to keep religious debates out the mix of this blog. For the record, I am a confirmed member of the United Methodist Church and I do believe in God, his son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. However, recently I have found some branches of the Christian church and Christian leaders are becoming more and more intolerant of views differing from their own and it disturbs me because I believe Christianity is a faith based on tolerance and unconditional acceptance. It events, like the following example, which are making me considering walking away from the institution of Christianity and practicing on my own.

Faith, fury mix at Mormon temple
JJ Hensley
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 7, 2007 12:00 AM

Anne Carlisle just wanted to get to the Easter pageant at the Mormon temple Tuesday night in Mesa. Lonnie Pursifull just wanted to save Mormons from what he believes is eternal damnation.But when their paths crossed, neither backed down, and Carlisle won.

Pursifull ended up with a bruised shin, courtesy of Carlisle's electric wheelchair. But she didn't get out of it unscathed: The 64-year-old Carlisle was cited for disorderly conduct for fighting.

The confrontations between Mormon worshipers and those who think they need saving have been going on for decades outside the Arizona Temple and longer than that at other places, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said.

But Pursifull and his fellow street preachers have ratcheted up the vitriol in the past few years, creating a toxic mix of faith and fury on the sidewalks outside the temple each Easter.

It has gotten so bad that a more moderate group of Phoenix evangelicals has vowed to skip their annual trip to preach outside the pageant until Pursifull and his crew tone it down. But Pursifull, 42, says he has souls to save and he's just getting started.

Pursifull is a burly man who lays carpet for a living in Utah when he's not leading his flock at the Wilderness Bible Baptist Church in Duchesne, a rural community about 100 miles east of Salt Lake City. Pursifull said he was afraid when Carlisle came at him in her wheelchair Tuesday night before the Easter pageant. Carlisle could not be reached for comment."She definitely was an aggressor. She came out and was yelling at me the whole time, and she was not just giving me a love tap. It was an attack with a weapon, literally with a weapon," Pursifull said Friday as his colleagues preached. "The woman could've killed somebody with her wheelchair."

But injuries weren't Pursifull's greatest concern. He said that documenting what he calls the Mesa Police Department's unwillingness to correct the situation and keep the crowd under control will ensure a more peaceful exchange in the future."That happens time and time again throughout the United States - when the officers have done their jobs and uphold the law, it takes the riotness out of the crowd," said Pursifull, who travels the country preaching. "To be honest, I'm more concerned about the police officers not doing their job because the injuries can get a lot worse the more incompetent the officers get," added.

Mesa police Detective Johnny Lopez, a department spokesman, said the police don't take religion into consideration when investigating a crime."We pride ourselves in protecting all citizens, it doesn't matter race, color, creed," he said.

James White has passed out leaflets outside the pageant for most of the past 25 years, and Rich Pierce has joined him for nearly as long. In the hundreds of nights the two men have had conversations with LDS worshipers outside the pageant, White and Pierce said the interaction was tame until Pursifull's street preachers showed up a few years ago.

"It's changed primarily from a situation where you can have lengthy dialogue and discussion that are religious in nature," said White, director of Alpha and Omega ministries in Phoenix. "Ever since these people showed up, it's become much more adversarial."

Pursifull claims that White leads a flock of sinners that he thinks rivals those in the LDS church, largely because they don't believe the King James version of the Bible is the only trustworthy translation. Pierce agrees with Pursifull that Mormon teachings lead people astray but said he and White simply want to have a discussion with LDS followers about Scripture.

Regardless, Pursifull's presence has driven White and Pierce away from the temple for the foreseeable future, much as it did in Salt Lake City where the two groups clashed in an attempt to witness to Mormons in past years.

"These guys approach it by making up signs that I think are antagonistic and standing there, yelling at the top of their lungs things that are designed to offend," said Pierce, president of Alpha and Omega ministries. "My impression is, if you don't think like them, you're to be despised."

That's the impression Adam Hammond gets from all the preachers and protesters who gather outside the LDS temple's Easter pageant each year.The 31-year-old Mesa resident, like many Mormons, has heard all the criticisms before and doesn't see the groups as anything more than an annual nuisance."They're here every year," Hammond said as he saved seats Friday afternoon for the pageant.

"It's like they have nothing better to do than complain about somebody else's religion. But, at the very least, it creates a slight animosity toward the people that are protesting."But Tuesday night, it did more than that, resulting in Carlisle's citation.

Paul Eppinger, executive director of the Arizona Interfaith Movement, said that with so many cultures and religions coming together in America, such encounters - on a street corner, outside a house of worship - will only lead to more confrontations.

"It seems to me that standing outside of a person's church or worship center, be that the Mormon temple or a synagogue or a mosque, and use that location to condemn people because of the way they believe, because of the way they approach God, I think is totally, totally inappropriate in our society," Eppinger, a former Baptist minister, said.

"Christians, whoever they are, need to follow the teachings of Jesus, and when Jesus was asked, 'What's the most important commandment?' he replied the first was 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart' and second was 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "

From Tyler: Which Holy Father Are You?

2007-04-08T09:19:00.000+09:00

You’re St. Jerome!

You’re a passionate Christian, fiercely devoted to Jesus Christ and his Church. You are willing to labor long hours in the Lord’s vineyard, and you have little patience with those who are less willing or able to work as you do. Your passions often carry you into temptation zones of wrath, lust, and pride.

Find'>http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/quiz/">Find out which Church Father you are at The Way of the Fathers!

2007-04-06T14:50:00.000+09:00

One of the things I have been able to do a lot of over here is keep myself abreast with U.S. news and world events. I am not the only ALT who does this, far from it, but recently I have read two news stories that have been a bit disturbing...if not a little odd and unusual.

The first is from rural Louisiana. It is about five fifth graders who have been suspended from school because of lewd conduct in the classroom and a criminal investigation is pending. You have probably read out it. This particular class was left unsupervised because the teacher who was supposed to be in the classroom went to an assembly instead going to the classroom and four of the students (1 was 13) decided to have sex in the classroom and post another student at the door as a lookout. The other students were in the classroom while this was happening and it was reported the next day by a student who told another teacher at the school. Naturally, this is one screwed up situation and the teacher involved will probably lose their job over it.

The first thing I would like to say about this is please do not automatically blame the teacher. In an age of increased scrutiny in the hiring process of teachers, those hired to be teachers are extremely responsible and student supervision is priority number one in all schools; except maybe this one. It is highly possible that communication signals got crossed and the teacher who was supposed to be in the classroom was told by another teacher that her students would be released to attend the assembly and she would be meeting them at the assembly. However, one must question her mental capacity if she showed up at the assembly and didn't see any of her students. Second, I wonder why the other students in the class didn't do more to stop those students from having sex in the classroom? Maybe they were kept in the classroom by the lookout and fornicating cherubs, but in a class of probably 20-30 kids, they should have been able to overpower even the horniest of youths and get somebody in the classroom to supervise them.

Finally, I think this is a prime example of why comprehensive Sexual Education needs to be taught in schools. I would be willing to bet that this lewd behavior may have been brought ,in part, by ignorance and curiosity. From personal experience, I can tell you that boys (and maybe girls too) start fantasizing about sex from about the third grade and by the 5th and 6th grade, a small percentage of boys have started puberty and are already willing to engage in sexual acts such as oral sex and intercourse.

I personally believe that if parents are not willing to have "The Talk" with their children regarding safe sexual practices and maintaining a healthy sexual well-being, then they should be willing to fund programs in the school or find programs outside of school, that do the same job. I think ideally, we all all want to think of children as innocent, naive, and asexual, but the reality is completely the opposite. Naivety can be a redeeming factor in children, but not when it comes to knowledge of sex. Children need to be educated and informed. Period.
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The other article that caught my attention today comes from here in Japan. A hospital on the island of Kyushu will be opening a "Baby Drop-off" in the next 3-4 weeks for unwanted newborns...no questions asked. Kozue told me the Japanese call this "Akachan Post." "Akachan" is the Japanese word for "baby" and "post" obviously means mail.

I find it quite the paradox that in a country with a negative growth rate (~-2%) and a health minister who called all women "birth giving machines", that there would be unwanted children and babies. According to the article, the hospital has government approval for the program and babies are dropped directly into a waiting incubator where nurses will care for the children until they can be adopted and is in response to a rise in the number of abandoned babies being found in parks, shopping malls, and even bicycle baskets.

I have discussed this Kozue and Konishi-sensei (my new neighbor) and both are not sure if "akachan post" is a good idea. More on this another time. It's 16:00 and time for me to leave.

Getting the Ball Rollin'

2007-04-05T10:31:00.000+09:00

I am all alone at the moment. All of the teachers have left the staff room for a 90min long staff meeting to discuss something which is beyond the realm of my understanding; in a language I am still learning but no where near fluency yet. There is an eerie silence in the staffroom now. All I hear is the soft humming of computers and copy machines.

Winter, though absent it has been for most its usual stay, continues to hold-out and forestall the coming of spring and cherry blossoms. This morning, as I went downstairs early in the morning to relieve myself, I noticed snowflakes falling outside my window. And when I took the Doctor to the train station, there had been some accumulation. Finally, when I left for school, I was in the midst of a full-scale flurry, which ended quickly and offered little to no accumulation.

It is the enkai season here in Japan. My mates and I had one an informal party at the local izakaya last night. Tonight, my school is having one, Saturday night they are having another one, and also on Saturday, Birmingham Babe and Maryland Marauder are having a joint b-day celebration in Morioka, which I am also planning to attend. By Sunday morning, my liver is going to love me.

I read in my hometown's paper today that a person I grew up with and graduated high school with died in Florida. Doing some research on the web, I learned from another classmate's blog that he committed suicide, possibly brought on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. He had served in the military in Kosovo and Iraq and it is highly likely he was suffering from it. Christ! It is such a F***ing waste! He was a good person! Smart, athletic, friendly; What's going on in this world? It's made me sad for the rest of the day.

Met the new teacher who is going to be sitting next to me for the next 3-4 months. He's an english teacher who has been to Flagstaff. I think that's really cool! He's an exchange teacher from Hokkaido, so it's very different from his last school and he has asked me to kind of explain things to him. As Forrest Gump once said, "I sure hope I don't let him down."

Not much else going right now. Still trying to get back into the swing of things after being on vacation for so long. I am sure tomorrow will be better.

Cheers!

The Pittmeister

Septugenarian Pictures.

2007-04-02T17:46:00.000+09:00

Gene and Mary Lou with Fuji-san in the background

Mary Lou and Gene amongst the Sakura which were blooming

At Kinkakuji in Kyoto.

Sightseeing with Two Septugenarians

2007-04-02T15:18:00.001+09:00

After nearly 12 days being cradled and coddled in the bosom of Japanese modernity, I once again find myself sedentary in my stark and Spartanesque office in southcentral Iwate. My spring sojourn to the cultural heart of Japan and its modern mega-metropolis has recharged my batteries for the final push towards the end of my tenure as an ALT at Hanamaki Kita High School.

From the 22nd to the 31st of March I was responsible for the seemingly endless entertainment and occupational well-being of two septugenarian relatives who currently reside in the state of Oregon. One, my aunt, my father's only sister, named Mary Lou and aged 70 years. The other, her second husband, named Eugene, and aged 78 years.

They came to The Land of the Rising Sun for a Smithsonian tour and arrived on the 15th. They spent 2 days in Tokyo at the luxurious Imperial Hotel before boarding a ship and shoving off for a one week cruise with other people in their age bracket. I rendeavouzed with them in Kyoto, the cultural heart of Japan, and joined them for the final four days of their tour, noticebly paid for by their financial auspices. My only responsibility in Kyoto was to make sure they were fed their evening meal before retiring to their beds for a night of peaceful slumber at the Okura Hotel. Always one to try to conserve my financial resources, I deferred staying at the Okura for a 3'x6' spot on the floor at the Uno House for 1/10 the cost. However, I did have all my meals paid for, including breakfast...the most important meal of the day. I was at the mercy of the tour bus schedule and in small defiance, waited until the last minute to get on the bus after visiting Kinkakuji (the Golden Pavilion).

This tour, while informative for its intended audience (not me b/c I knew everything already), was severely lacking in several areas, the most glaring being a complete lack of anybody under the age of 65. On a tour with retired geriatrics, I must warn you that Ben-Gay was the cologne and perfume of choice (or necessity) and random statements like "I can't see down while wearing these glasses" were common exclamations by tour group members. Bad chopstick (はし) etiquette was rampant and done with unabashed compunction. Efforts on my part to rectify their ignorance were met with apathy, disdain, and general indifference. Also conspicously absent was any knowledge of the public transportation by any of the tour members. On the second night, we went two stops on the subway to get to a restaurant and the next day my aunt was telling everybody about like she had won the lottery!

Apparently, my reputation as a Resident Alien of Japan had preceeded me because of my aunt's bravado and everyone I came in contact with on the tour asked me the same four questions and usually in this order; 1.) "Where do you live in Japan?" 2.)"What do you teach?" 3.)"How long have you lived here?", and 4.) Do you like it here?" At the end of the four days, I had perfected my answers to these rapid-fire questions with a rapid-fire response of my own; "Iwate", "English but I dabble in Arabic", "3 years", and "Obviously you dim-witted moron!" The other thing was people kept wanting to touch me! I mean just little taps on the shoulder, as it to say, "nice to meet you sport!" It happened so much I wanted to start charging people 100 yen for the privilege of touching the resident gaijin, but decided not to because I didn't want to carry all the change I would acrue from such a money making scam.

On the 26th, the ethnocenric tour of Japan ended and the real tour began. After partaking of the last free (and western) meal I would allow them to have, M.L. and Eugene, and I sneaked past the departing hordes and into two taxis to take us to Kyoto station and the Nozomi express. While on the escalator, the the automated stairway brokedown and forced Eugene to push, pull, tug, and tow his suitcases up the stairs and expending energy he would need for later in the day. 3hrs later we checked into the hotel in Tokyo, a more austere and claustrophobic one than the Imperial where they had stayed before.

While in Tokyo, I exposed them to the Japanese modern miracle. We moseyed around the wards of Shinjuku, Asakusa, Harajuku, Ikebukuro, and a corner of Ginza. They experienced the tranquility and serenity of the Imperial Palace East Gardens and the noisy din of the subway trains. At their request, we visited the Tsukiji Fish Market, but while I dined on fresh raw fish for breakfast, they retreated to the nearest McDonalds. On their last day in Japan, Kozue and I accompanied them to the Mt. Fuji area west of Tokyo. We were extremely lucky in the respect that we had a perfectly clear day to view Mt. Fuji. On the 31st, Kozue and I made sure they got on the Airport Limosine bus. As we waved goodbye to them, it was with a sigh of relief that Kozue and I slumped down in the chairs in the terminal.

The rest of Saturday was spent with Kozue, mostly shopping in Shibuya and getting watches we had bought for each othersized. We went to a concert featuring her opera singer cousin, but left disappointed when her relatives couldn't spare any time with us. So we headed to the bar for drinks. On Sunday, we met up her best friend, a friend from university. When they saw each other, it was like watching two sorority girls at a wedding reception. We had lunch with her and her boyfriend, then shopped for omiyage, and finally boarded the train for Iwate.

It was a good trip to Tokyo and quite possibly my last as JET. I think I made the most of it.

Entrance Exam Results Posted

2007-03-15T11:07:00.000+09:00

Entrance Exam Results Posted

Hanamaki, Iwate

Today, the results for nearly 300 potential incoming high students were posted outside Hanamaki Kita Senior High School. Reaction to the results was intense and diverse as potential incoming students learned their academic fates.

The exam, given one week ago, on March 8th, is one of the most difficult entrance exams given in Iwate Prefecture. Hanamaki Kita's students consistantly score near the top of the Ken on standardized tests and it's curriculum is ranked in the top 3 for difficulty. Only 280 students are admitted each year, so competition for admission is fierce. Students who pass the exam and metriculate at the school, are put on the fast track for prestigious university acceptance.

Teachers and administrators go to great lengths to maintain secrecy surrounding the content on the exam and the results. While the test is being marked, not a single teacher is allowed to leave the school or even call out using their mobile phone for fear of tampering with the results. This rule even extends to the school's staff and ALT. The day prior to the posting the scores and the day the scores are posted, the same rules apply. This controversial policy grates on the nerves of the faculty, especially the ALT; who really does not have much association with the exam itself. His mantra is, "I know nothing."

Snow Typhoon Reminds Residents Winter Is Not Over

2007-03-14T11:36:00.000+09:00

Snow Typhoon Reminds Residents Winter Is Not Over

Hanamaki, Iwate Japan

On Monday, March 12th, Iwate-ken's anathema winter was jeopardized when a "snow typhoon", dubbed "Itsuabaotataimu" by the national weather service, made its presence felt in a big way.

Beginning Sunday evening, wind gusts and snow fall commenced and soon started to disrupt life in this quiet, rural, and vastly unprepared city. The storm forced the closure the Tohoku Expressway, the only high speed roadway in the region. Traffic was snarled as the expressways closed and commuters and truck drivers had to find alternative routes for returning home or continuing their journeys. Rt. 4, also a national thoroughfare resembled a parking lot more than a primary, arterial street. On seveal occassions on normally less-traveled roads, near white-out conditions were reported by motorists stranded in the storm.

When it finally cleared on Tuesday morning, nearly 18 inches of snow had acrued and the clean-up effort began since shoveling efforts during the storm proved to be futile. Suffering from a lack of available students to conscript into snow removal duty, teachers at Hanamaki Kita High School were forced to shovel their own parking lot, which caused some to be late for the morning meeting.

One foreigner interviewed said he pined for his snowblower, which is sitting unused and neglected in his parents garage in Arizona. The distress from the storm was short lived however as tempuratures warmed up again on Tuesday afternoon and the accumulated snow pack has begun to melt and the unplowed roads began shuffling off their icey coil.

All the snow will surely make for great skiing and snowboarding conditions come the weekend and Geto is reporting a signficant accumulation increase over the past 48hrs. Surely, this weekend should be the best weekend Geto will have this winter.

2007-03-08T12:54:00.000+09:00

Graduation was on the 3rd, this past Saturday so I had to cancel the trip to Aoni Onsen that I had planned so I could sit in a freezing gym and listen to people give sentimental speeches in a language I only pretend to understand. Nevertheless, I bid farewell to the 3rd years who were all little 1st years when I arrived here. My how time flys!

Since I have nothing better to do this week, I am studying Maths (Yes, I said I am studying Maths) for the GRE exam, studying Japanese (since my tutor graduated and moved), and researching job opportunities in U.S. of A.

Today is the 1st day of the entrance examination. I can't leave the school, much less the staffroom and I can't talk to anybody on the phone because god forbid I give away any information related to a test I know nothing about. So I am kind of a prisoner here at school. This sucks! But my maths is getting matter as is my Japanese.

Now, its back to the Maths book.

Ja Matta!

Tokyo, Yokohama, and the Returner's Conference

2007-03-01T08:36:00.000+09:00

I just came back from 5 days in Tokyo and Yokohama.

While in Tokyo, my compatriot The Doctor and I drowned ourselves in the hustle and bustle that is Tokyo. We explored such seedy neighborhoods as Shinjuku and Shibuya and even stumbled upon a Sunday afternoon rave in NHK Park near Shibuya.

In Yokohama, we attended the Returner's Conference and stayed in the Kanagawa Youth Hostel, an establishment that was quite derelict. It was resembled a mental ward of hospital and any moment I expected to see Jack Murphy come strolling through the doorway. At the conference, I learned a lot about career tracks available to JET's and I am seriously considering a career in the Foreign Service as an FSO. Sounds like I would be a perfect fit with the educational background that I have and I would love the traveling to different countries to live for 2-4 years at a time. Now if I can just figure out how to take (and pass) the test! More on that later.

Uber Bad Engrish

2007-02-21T08:27:00.000+09:00

I have read some pretty bad English homework essays in my 2 1/2 years at Hanamaki Kita High School but this tops them all. I just finished correcting English compositions on the theme of New School Rules and while most of my students did wonderfully, even exceptionally well, I came along one in particular that was so bad, that I dididn't know, short of rewriting it for the student, where to start correcting it.

Here it is in its glorious original entirety:

"School Rules will certainly have a lot of school. But, There is the insido of a lot of School. Rules for content should change thing. For example, Lunch time is to need easily one hour. Because there is many people in the school. For the insido of their there is eating the meal early person or eating the meal late person. Things the meal eating is very important on the occasion of get class of afternoon. So, eating the meal late person should spend in one's own good time. In addition, eating slowly is use to our health. There is a pleasure plase for many students and prepare time implement. for the next class. Therefore I think that Lunch time is to need easily one hour."

Such has been my job for the last 2 1/2 years. Do you want my job?

the Pittmeister Prowls around Sapporo

2007-02-12T15:38:00.000+09:00

When February rolls around, life slows down. Feeling the squeeze and the pinches of the inaka and the ever continuing non-winter, the Pittmeister headed for Sapporo this weekend. I went for the seemingly famous Yuki Matsuri or "snow festival" for all you uninformed outlanders. I had yet to attend this much talked about, but often forgotten festival held every year in the city of Sapporo, the capitol and largest city on the northern most island of Hokkaido in this archipelago. These were prowls.

Needing a break from the suffocating boredom at school (it's currently exam time...again!), I played hookey from school on Friday and met up with Necie-poo at the Hanamaki Airport, an airport so small it only needs 2 gates. At one point in its history, the Hanamaki Airport had accepted international flights, but that practice has long been abandoned and the international arrivals annex was boarded up. Unbeknownst to us, Supa FOB and her posse of TVT and El Gato Fiero were also on the same flight, so fraternization with the 1st years was inevitable. Boarding of the plane was done with typical Japanese efficiency, and the plane was pushed back from the jet-way at precisely 13:25 for the 1hr flight to Chitose airport, the airport that serves the Sapporo area.

Upon exiting the train at Sapporo station, I was immediately slapped in the face with the bitter cold that seems to be so absent from Iwate's winter this year. After carrying Debbie-chan's grossly overloaded suitcase down the stairs, Necie and I parted with the giddy first years and thought it best to use a taxi to transport us to our hotel in the Susukino area of Sapporo, which according to my travel agent, is to Sapporo what Kabuki-cho is to Tokyo; a breeding ground of bars, clubs, and sleaze. After shaking down our bags, we thought we go out and check out the sights of Sapporo before meeting up with Tyler at the station. The snow scultpures are the main attraction of the Yuki Matsuri and so we moseyed along for 3 blocks of the park, looking at the snow sculptures. The constant cold never allowed us to stop for any moment longer than a few minutes and the condensed breath coming from our uvulas had a strikingly long life. To keep warm, we drank and kept moving. After taking a short and unintentional detour, we rendevouzed with and Tyler and consequently found an izakaya where we feasted on crab, sashimi, and other seafoods, all washed down with barely and hops concoctions. Afterwards, it was more taking in the sights of the snow sculptures along the Odori Koen.

The acme of the trip was on Day Two when Tyler, Necie-poo and myself went to the Sapporo Winter Sports Museum, positioned at the old ski jumping hill used for the 1972 Winter Olympics, which Sapporo hosted. A plethora of hands-on simulations awaited us in sports such as cross-country skiing, ski jumping, ice hockey, and speed skating. Despite my more than ample girth, I bested both Necie-poo and Tyler in the ski jumping event with personal best of 124 meters. I tied for 2nd in cross country skiing and set a new standard for excellence as a world-class hockey goalie. However, if there was a prize for Human Inner-Tube Bowling, the Pittmeister would be the World Champion. On the ski jumping hill, about halfway up, people can tube for FREE as long as they have the testicular fortitude to hike up the rather steep hill towing an inner tube. Necie, Tyler, myself, and some random Russian guy we met were about the only ones over 12 years old who did the tubing, with Tyler and I going twice. Those of you know me, know that I am not what you would call "small", according to Tyler I am 6 ft 5in. Because of my magnificent mass, I accumulated enough speed on the downhill so as to when I impacted with the padded barriers at the bottom, it was like a car wreck; with my staff members being thrown from the pads into the vending machines and the pads being knocked completely out of alignment.

Sunday was passed by educating ourselves on the process of making Sake, giving Bears Hugs, window shopping, and in solitary pursuits. After a dinner of ramen in the of the Ramen Alleys, Tyler and I parted ways, with promises to see each other again in March for a skiing trip to Geto. Being is Sapporo felt like I was in a place like Manhattan. It's very modern and didn't feel like Japan at all. I wanna go back!

2007-02-04T06:30:00.000+09:00

I realize that for my regular readers, the Daily Laundry has become more of a Weekly Laundry of late. There are two reasons for this. A.) I really can't be bothered to blog at work as I have been relatively busy grading Bad Engrish, and B.) There hasn't been much I really want to complain about or share with you all. So, I have kept my postings to a weekly thing in hopes of expounding upon more interesting topics and having more to blog about.

This week marked the end of my teaching duties for the school term and it was with my "ni nensei" (2nd year) students. Lacking any semblance of creativity and long having been angered by the lame text books they use here, I did what any good teacher does; I recycled an old lesson and made it new again. It was the 3rd time this year I have done that. The lesson's theme was "New School Rules" and requires the students to write an essay about which rules they would change at the school, why they would change them, and how school would be improved if those rules were changed. I look forward to the creative and individual answers I will receive such as, "no skool youniforms" and "scool runch shood be provided." Those were some of the more popular ones the last time I did this lesson.

This Thursday signals the end of the term and the start of the 4th and final term exams. It also signals the end of my official teaching duties and starts what I like to affectionately call "The Dark Ages." This is because I must go into school everyday and sit at my desk with nothing to do but read, study, or watch movies on my computer. E.J. and Daddaluma would even play video games on their computers. I'm not so bold and actually try to have some semblance of cultural sensitivity. The low point of the is 2 month exile is during the entrance examination. I cannot leave the staff room because of the belief that if I do, I may in someway taint the results of the incoming students. Over the course of the two days, I can't even leave the school because I may accidently give away answers or results of the exam. Highly impossible considering they don't even let me see, much less correct the test. How could I possibly know anything? Even if I was kidnapped, and forced to live in a dark and dank basement, I would maintain my status of "I know nothing." This year, it won't be so bad as I will be preparing to leave Hanakita in the summer and I will job searching, sending in resumes, cover letters, and LoR.

Speaking of a job search. I have identified three positions thus far that I feel I am qualified for. Two are here in Japan and one is back home in Phoenix. The two in Japan are related to teaching English and the opportunity in Phoenix is teaching Ancient and Medieval History. As much I hate Phoenix, I think, and my parents agree, I deserve someplace warm to live after enduring three winters in Iwate with no central heating, insulation, or road plowing. Phoenix would be a big change, but the anonymity would fantastic! I am also going to a Returner's Conference in Yokohama at the end of this month that will expand my horizons, as it were, in looking for a job and making my time on JET Programme a marketable one. The Doctor and I will go together and hopefully it will be a fun time.

As the months remaining on the JET gravy train begin to wane, they will be spent traveling. The Pittmeister is going to Sapporo on Friday for the Snow Festival. I'll be in Yokohama at the end of the month, in Kyoto and Tokyo with my aunt and uncle in March, and hopefully a trip Okinawa in May during Golden Week. I gave up on India for the May holiday. It's a beautiful country and I still want to go, but it was looking like another solo trip and India was not a country I wanted to do solo. Maybe some other time! I'm hoping the trip to Okinawa can be with Koz. She really likes Okinawa and it would be a great trip for us to on together.

Winter has finally arrived in Iwate and that has thrown a monkey wrench in my walking resolve. Still, I have "gambatted" and kept with walking to school 4/5 days week and every where else I go in the 'Maki. This past week, (Sun-Sat) I estimate I walked ~24 miles. I can't verify that because on more than occasion on Friday and yesterday, my ruddy pedometer reset, but it's ~24 miles. On the days that I walk, I average 4 to 4.5 miles. I can't tell you how much weight I have lost because I'm genuinely afraid to step on a scale. I figure I'll lead the healthy lifestyle in a concerted effort to fight my obesity. Watching the movie "Supersize Me" every day is pretty motivation too. Since winter has arrived, it also means better snowboarding conditions and this past Thursday I went night boarding with TOModachi at the Geto. Great conditions, lots of loose powder, and not many people...hooray! A week ago, I took Captain Crankypants boarding and got him doing S-turns on his 1st day. I'm not going snowboarding today. I need a personal day. I'm thinking DVD's, laundry, and napping. Yeah, that's a good day.

Peace.

The Walking Pittmeister

2007-01-27T07:09:00.000+09:00

Let's play the game Go Figure:

34,534 steps
16.404 miles
26.25 kilometers
891.1 calories

That's how far the Pittmeister walked and how much energy he burned this week according to his little pedometer. Where ever the Pittmeister had to go, he huffed it. He may not have walked his corpulant posterior to work every day, but he still averaged 3.28 miles a day. He would have averaged over 4 miles day, but he went night 'boarding on Thursday night.

Humorous Japanese Idioms

2007-01-24T14:19:00.000+09:00

Today, I was directed by a a fellow ALT who makes his home in Ichinoseki (south of me, on the Miyagi-ken border) about a website where one can learn Japanese idioms. I went there and here are my top 5 from the very long list. If you want to see the entire list, click here, but you will have to be able to read Hiragana to appreciate them. I'll write them in romanji, so everyone can appreciate these.

1.) kusatte motai= "A diamond on a dunghill is still a diamond."

2.) Gyuutou o motteniwatori o taku= "Use a sledge hammer to a kill a fly."

3.) kunshi hyouhensu= "Wise men are quick to adapt themselves to circumstances."

4.) koko de atta ga hyakunenme= "Now that I've seen you here, you're doomed."

5.) shakani seppou= "Don't try to teach your Grandmother to suck eggs."

Experiment

2007-01-21T15:44:00.000+09:00

I did an interesting experiment today. Taking advantage of the mild winter weather and a pedometer I got as a party gift at my school's Bon Enkai, I thought I would do an entire day of walking and see how far I walked. It's nearly 1600 on Sunday afternoon and so far, I have walked a total of 9 miles (15km).

Today, I got up and did a walk down to my school and back, 2hrs later, I went to the local supermarket and back, then I walked to a department store to have pictures developed. All told I have walked 9 miles and it's 4pm right now. who knows how much longer I'll walk today, but I'd say 9 miles is a pretty good distance. I think I should do this once a week, weather permitting and see how far I have to walk on other days. It's also a very healthy exercise, something I could definitely use more of. Keep checking back for more "Pittmeister Walker Stories."

Christmas in the 'Zona

2007-01-17T13:30:00.000+09:00

Kozue and Momma Pitt on the Grand Canyon Railway ready for the ride back.

Domn8or, Karen, Kozue, and one of their misbehaved canines.

Life is slowly getting back to normal over here in J-Land and by the time it does, it will be time to leave and once again set up life's track of great adventures. The 2 week furlough for Christmas was a well needed respite from the culture shocks I still so often experience. Granted, having Kozue has helped to soften that emotional sting, but not being able to ask a pharmacist about a medicine can do much to destroy the fragile cultural peace I seem to have with J-Land. Neither I nor Koz wanted to return to Japan after enjoying 2 footloose and fancy free weeks in the U.S., but nonetheless, we sucked it up and returned.

The beginning of our trip was marred by uncompromising ticket agents forcing us to pay to haul our treasure trove of gifts to the U.S....twice! Even after pleas for leniency the second time, we still paid, in total,~$100 in overweight baggage charges to both American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. We felt like we were raked over the coals a bit and to vowed to avoid having to pay to haul our booty of gifts on the way back.

Meeting us at the Sky Harbour in Phoenix was my best mate, the Domn8or. After a small request from me, he and his wife graciously put us up in their quaint and more than adequate home. Sleeping at the Mascia Bed and Breakfast was a really treat and included breakfast of waffles, orange juice, and milk in the morning, though one had to endure jumpy and at times misbehaved canines. The bed was very comfortable, albeit being placed on what appeared to be a freight shipping pallet and the heater was more like an air-conditioner the way in seemed to cool the house. Despite all these creature comforts, sleep eluded the Pittmeister as I was so jet-lagged. After falling asleep seconds after my head hit the pillow at 21:30, my eye lids flipped open at 0100 and refused to close again for any lenght of time until nearly 0500. In that span of time, I wrote in my journal, talked with Kozue, and just took in the ambiance of American christmas lights. To show our appreciation for so much hospitality, Kozue and I treated them to dinner and exposed Koz to Mexican food that far surpasses that of her previous experience; Taco Bell. We also gave them quite the treasure trove of gifts and souvenirs from J-Land. The next day, the Professor and Momma Pitt came down to Tempe, picked us up, and drove our jet-lagged bodies back to Flagstaff.

The first night at home, our task was to decorate the Christmas tree. The Professor and I fiddled with the lights and got them working, then Momma Pitt, Mikael, and Koz put on the rest of the ornaments, all the while explaining to Kozue about the importance or significance of each ornament. The highlight of the evening was when Mikael though it prudent to have one of the cats, the new one named Dutchess, which was standing on the back of the couch, chase the shadow of a sleigh bell ornament up the wall and at full extension, slide down the wall to the floor in the space between the back of the couch and the wall. This act, which solicited laughter from the those in the room, did little to amuse The Professor as he shot us a disapproving glare over his glasses. The laughter soon subsided before we knew it, we were tired and wanted to go sleep, however, again sleep for the Pittmeister was hard to come by and I was awake for nearly 4 hrs in the early morning and stepped on a cat when I finally went to bed.

On Christmas Day, it took 4 hours for us to have our Christmas. This includes a short break so the Professor could make waffles for breakfast. He was getting crabby because of hunger and we it best to appease the Professor. It didn't help that my parents went overboard with buying gifts, but I am sure the euphoria of having everyone home for Christmas was a bit overpowering for them. The day after Christmas, we went to the Grand Canyon and took the train. It only gave us 3 1\2hrs at the Canyon itself, but the "tourist" experience was a welcome change. Kozue really enjoyed being at the canyon and we even purchased 2 of the cheesy tourist pictures from the train photographer.

A week after arriving, Mikael had to return to Tucson and to her slave labor job at the GAP. Kozue and I still another week with the Professor and Momma Pitt and with the New Year fast approaching and the Professor's 63rd yearly celebration of his birth on the 1st of January, things stayed upbeat and cheerful. New Year's Eve was spent playing 15 hands of Rummy Tile, a family favorite, with me winning probably 11 of the 15 hands. At one point, the Pittmeister had one 5 or 6 in a row. I have to give all the credit to the Professor however as he was seated in the space that played before me and everything he played allowed me to rid myself of my tiles.

I had a "Varsity Blues" moment while I was on R&R. One evening, a few days before the New Year, I went to a local drinking establishment to have a few drinks with my best mate since Kindergarten and unknowingly, 2 acquaintances from high school. They grilled me on my experiences and lifestyle in Japan, they even met Kozue who was shopping while I was drinking. After tiring of answering questions about Japan, which these guys no comparison for, I inquired about their lifestyles. One said he had gone to a community college to play football, but after hurting his shoulder, he said school didn't make much sense. In that moment, I was transported to west Texas where the local football stud commonly becomes the manager of the Wal-Mart. Not a place I'd like to be. After 2 hours and a few rounds of beer, there was a parting of the ways and the Professor once again was mine and Kozue's chauffer home.

Overall it was a good trip home and a real "coming of age" adventure as I finally realized that I have become an adult. That moment came when Domn8or, and his wife Karen, gave Koz and myself a bottle of their favorite wine. Only adults give wine as gifts I told myself because until that time, you're either too young to purchase it or too cheap to buy it for somebody else. My mate Kevin in a subtle way, impressed upon me that we're getting older when he showed his balding head, which he keeps under a ball cap. Now, it's important that you understand that when we were growing up together, he and his twin brother Keith always had the good looking and fashionable haircuts while I had the chop job crew cuts from the barbershop. How our fortunes have changed!

I came away from U.S. with an understanding that it's not the messed up, apathetic country I envision from reading the news papers or hear about on Lou Dobbs Tonight. Much has changed, but not much has changed at the same time. Truth be told, I didn't want to come home at for the first week back, I opined to be home and was deadset abouit not staying in Japan after my JET contract ends in August. However, all options are on the table, but I would like to live someplace warm after enduring 3 Iwatean winters with no insulation and no central heating. This winter pales in comparison to the previous two. It's still cold, but we have not had the large snowfalls of yesteryear. I guess you will just have to keep reading to see what the Pittmeister will do next.

So with that, I leave with my final thought for this post:
"If you can't fix it, you gotta stand it."-Brokeback Mountain

My New Name

2007-01-10T13:26:00.000+09:00

Your Japanese Name Is...

Shuichi Hayashi

What's" your Japanese Name?

I'll expect you all to change your entries for me on your keitai's to this name. Thank you and Goodbye.

I'm back!

2007-01-09T08:50:00.001+09:00

It's January 9th. I am back at school. I had a good trip home over the Christas (yes, I said Christmas) holidays, but was was tripped up at the end by a stomach virus I caught on the flight back to Japan, which I am still fighting.

I would love to write a long, loquacious report for all of you loyal readers about what I did, but I just can't be bothered right now and it's not because I didn't try. So for right now, you'll have to be secure in the knowledge that Kozue and I really enjoyed ourselves.

Get Me the Hell Out of Here!

2006-12-19T12:24:00.000+09:00

Two days remain before my winter furlough and life coud not be moving any more slowly. As expected, my school has reduced my official duties to almost nothing and I am spending these last 3 days in a semi-catatonic state.

My only avenue of producticity this week was recording and commenting on the results of my students' oral presentation which were given last week. I had most of the recording completed last week and had two remaining classes as leftovers this week. Both were quickly dispatched yesterday with my might blue pen and quick wit.

Having the students work on and present certainly made my life easier and much more tolerable, and I am sure the students enjoyed not having to listen to be blabber on in what is mostly an incomphrehensible tounge. This gave them a chance to speak publicly and in another language that is not their own. I can't blame them for being nervous, but I can still be mad at them for not presenting properly.

I was very disturbed by the lack of variety evident in their choice of topics. The proclivity of my students to choose such places as McDonald's or its Japanese nemesis Mos Burger, gave me yet another insight into this culture of contradictions. Japan is a country of innovation and invention, but yet my students lack significant amounts of creativity and individuality. In every class, at least 2 groups did McDonald's {spelled MacDonaldo's}, department stores Marukan or Ito Yokado, and a local tourist attraction called Dowamura.

I tend to have high standards, not only for myself, but also for other people. Because of my high standards, very few students achieved the full 10 points available to them for successful completion of this assignment. I also tacked on 5 points for their required brochure, which had to include a picture of their site. Most students were able to accomplish this feat, those some brochures lacked pictures or a good map that I could follow. Naturally, students were marked down for their lack of effort. After the new year, I will have approximently 2 more classes with them before I am completely cut out of the picture in February. Hopefully I can make their last two weeks in my class fun ones. It's hard to believe where the year has gone! It seems like only yesterday they were shy, timid students just acclimating to their new life here.

I'll be taking a break from blogging while I am away, but everyone who reads this will get a full report on the Christmas goings on of the Pittmeister.

Happy Chanuka, Merry Christmas, and Seasons Greetings, the Pittmeister is off and rolling.