Rhythm Deforestation
Week 35
Ah, getting back to the old grind. A pretty standard week by all intents and purposes. It got pretty cold at this point in the year and I was enjoying many a night hunkered down underneath my kotatsu. I have this stupid idea to, at the end of my time in Japan, send home a bunch of tatami, a kotatsu and floor chair and totally Nihon-out my room…but I imagine that would be prohibitively expensive.
A fairly typical work week all in all. I adapted to a more regular schedule pretty quickly. Wednesday was unusual simply in that I happened to be flipping through the channels on my TV when I came across a travelogue about, of all things, Toronto. It was fascinating to see how the city is examined from the eyes of a foreign traveller, although the choices insofar as attractions were concerned were kind of unusual. They went up the CN tower of course, and also sampled some ice wine. The dinner they showed the host enjoying was a bit atypical I feel, in that it was a lobster. They failed to witness the most Canadian of institutions, a Hockey game.
Ah well.
The weekend was pretty good. I had intended to go and play some football on Sunday with Sean and a few other teachers out near Hachioji but, unfortunately, I slept through the match. This was partially due to the school’s New Year’s party that took place on Saturday night. Although the party didn’t last too late, it was an additional bit of exertion in what already amounts to a pretty taxing day. It was a really great party though.
It’s definitely not an unusual situation to see me wake up at around 1 or 2 PM on Sunday, hence the missed football game. Saturday night is usually when I get the opportunity to recover from the week’s teaching, most especially Saturday’s barrage of classes. I woke up pretty late that day, but with more than enough time to head on down to Shimokitazawa and Ben’s place for a night of relaxation.
Well…actually, that’s a lie.
It was a night of SHEER ROCK POWER!
Ben, the wonderful bastard that he is, managed to procure a nice LCD TV and, more importantly a PS3 with a copy of the holy of holies, Rock Band 2, as well as Guitar Hero World Tour.
So, in a group that consisted of Don, Melissa, Ben, Caroline, Caroline’s sister, a couple of Don’s Japanese friends and me, we rocked out for several hours. It was awesome fun to get back on to this game. It’s one of the pastimes I missed THE most from Canada. My first shot at Rock Band 2 as well. It’s got a damn good song list. Melissa and I did a wonderful duet of the Silversun Pick-ups’ Lazy Eye. Much fun was had by all.
Monday, unfortunately, saw me back at LEOPALACE headquarters in Shinjuku, my internet having been deactivated yet again. I spent pretty much the whole day getting to Shinjuku and then waiting around in the LEOPALACE offices waiting for service before sorting the issue out. It’s resolved now and I ought to be able to maintain my connection for at least the next six months without complication.
Monday also started on an incredible down note. From the first week I was here I always loved leaving my apartment and taking a look to the right to look at the nearby stand of bamboo trees swaying in the wind.
I regret to say that those trees are gone now.
Monday saw me wake up to the sound of chainsaws. Apparently some asshole decided to build another set of cubby-hole style apartments next to my building. So, there goes another beautiful grove of trees. Too bad for the trees, that guy is probably out of business already due to the trying financial times we're currently living in.
That's what I hope anyways.
It would serve his foolish ass right.
Envrionnmentally rabid...
Ian "Mello Yello" Cantello
Pictures: 1. View from the walkway outside my apartment to the construction workers tearing down my coveted bamboo grove. Fucking assholes, 2. An advertisement on the train for what appears to be some kind of adult video (AV). I have no idea, my Japanese isn't that good. But Obama is happy! (note top right of ad)
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