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In which I have a weekend.
Wow, it's been a long time since I've really updated, eh?
I've been seriously depressed as of late.
It's rice-planting season, which means that the paddies are being flooded. Paddies lie alongside the roads, between houses, parking lots, in the middle of graveyards, you get the idea. They're also about three to six feet below the level of the roads, and are flooded via a series of cement-walled canals.
A few weeks ago, one of my first grade students fell into one chasing a baseball and drowned. He was six years old and I'd taught him since kindergarten. His parents were able to fish him out quickly, but the hospitals in my area close for evenings and weekends. By the time they got him to one that was open, it was too late.
Teaching at his school was rough to begin with, but things are calming down. I was in the middle of class right before lunch last Friday when one of my kids starts bawling. I find out later that he was Shun's older brother, and there I was, dutifully teaching the week's syllabus, which was family members. Come on you little punk. "Older brother." Just say it already. Jesus, what's your problem?
Way to go, me.
But this weekend made things much better.
I headed down to Kanazawa Friday evening for some live music, courtesy of The Back Horn. They are just an awesome, awesome, awesome live act. Awesome. I'd had some idea because I own 産声チェーンサー, an official live album which I just find worlds better than their studio albums. But it's nothing compared to the actual live goodness. I also went with a friend who hadn't seen a live show before, which was totally cool and fun because it's kinda like seeing one for the first time myself.
Anyway, we made it to Kanazawa in time but got horridly lost thanks to the woefully useless venue map provided by the official site, which noted about half the bridges and major intersections, and was not exactly drawn to scale. Thus did my friend see me transform into my mother, who is a scary woman to be riding shotgun with.
We missed about half the show, which is a shame, because live shows always follow a trajectory, and we missed the opening excitement and buildup. Still, we managed to catch most of my favorite songs, and got in right as it was getting intense. Crowd was very subdued, but then again, it was a teeny venue. OTOH, the accoustics were the best of any show I've ever been to; the levels were perfect and I could understand the lyrics to songs I wasn't even familiar with.
Yamada Masashi is a freaking electrifying vocalist. He's gets going and then he's on fire with this riveting gaze. (The fact that he's gorgeous doesn't hurt either.)
Then came a weekend of relaxation, Indian food, Nepalese, coffeehouse goodness, and busking in a local park. Oh! And the boxes from China have arrived, so I have those to look forward to too.
That will be all.
I've been seriously depressed as of late.
It's rice-planting season, which means that the paddies are being flooded. Paddies lie alongside the roads, between houses, parking lots, in the middle of graveyards, you get the idea. They're also about three to six feet below the level of the roads, and are flooded via a series of cement-walled canals.
A few weeks ago, one of my first grade students fell into one chasing a baseball and drowned. He was six years old and I'd taught him since kindergarten. His parents were able to fish him out quickly, but the hospitals in my area close for evenings and weekends. By the time they got him to one that was open, it was too late.
Teaching at his school was rough to begin with, but things are calming down. I was in the middle of class right before lunch last Friday when one of my kids starts bawling. I find out later that he was Shun's older brother, and there I was, dutifully teaching the week's syllabus, which was family members. Come on you little punk. "Older brother." Just say it already. Jesus, what's your problem?
Way to go, me.
But this weekend made things much better.
I headed down to Kanazawa Friday evening for some live music, courtesy of The Back Horn. They are just an awesome, awesome, awesome live act. Awesome. I'd had some idea because I own 産声チェーンサー, an official live album which I just find worlds better than their studio albums. But it's nothing compared to the actual live goodness. I also went with a friend who hadn't seen a live show before, which was totally cool and fun because it's kinda like seeing one for the first time myself.
Anyway, we made it to Kanazawa in time but got horridly lost thanks to the woefully useless venue map provided by the official site, which noted about half the bridges and major intersections, and was not exactly drawn to scale. Thus did my friend see me transform into my mother, who is a scary woman to be riding shotgun with.
We missed about half the show, which is a shame, because live shows always follow a trajectory, and we missed the opening excitement and buildup. Still, we managed to catch most of my favorite songs, and got in right as it was getting intense. Crowd was very subdued, but then again, it was a teeny venue. OTOH, the accoustics were the best of any show I've ever been to; the levels were perfect and I could understand the lyrics to songs I wasn't even familiar with.
Yamada Masashi is a freaking electrifying vocalist. He's gets going and then he's on fire with this riveting gaze. (The fact that he's gorgeous doesn't hurt either.)
Then came a weekend of relaxation, Indian food, Nepalese, coffeehouse goodness, and busking in a local park. Oh! And the boxes from China have arrived, so I have those to look forward to too.
That will be all.
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How the hell does a hospital close like that???? Holy crap!!!
Glad you had a good weekend! Sounds like you really needed it. Had been wondering what you were up to & how you were doing.
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Yeah, I was shocked to learn about the hospitals too, because it's not like no one every gets sick or has a life-threatening accident after 4:30 pm or on Sundays. But that's Japan for you.
And thanks for the thoughts. I am here, but I've been crappy about commenting recently. I'm gonna be better from now on, I swear. (And you in the back, stop laughing!)
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The hospitals here close too...you have to call this number to find a place. But you can still call an ambulance...I'm surprised the ambulance people didn't know where to go. Or, rather, I can't believe there's not one close enough. You do live in the inaka.
That is just so incredibly sad.
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Glad to have you over this weekend! I couldn't pick up the boxes on Sunday, but when I got home last night, I found TWO slips of paper meaning two things I was waiting for which means that they're probably from China. I'll go this afternoon to pick them up!