notes/thoughts/reflections

*I went to Nara this past weekend to finally see the city and Todaiji Temple which houses the Giant Buddha. A hotel mix-up when we first arrived reminded me how robotic and rigid people can be, simply for the sake of formality and rules.

*Went to a club called Grand Cafe in Osaka on Friday and can happily report with Bay Area pride, that E-40 has made his way to Japan...

*For all those rice eaters out there, the time to plant your crop, is now.

*And on a somewhat related note, the frogs are back (they live in said rice paddies) and they are LOUD

*less than two months left in Japan under my teaching contract. What this means as of late: anxiety over plans after Japan, confusion over how to get everything back to the states by cheapest means possible, some stress over tying up all lose ends before I leave, a little regret at those things not done in Japan (though these regrets spur promises to return. I will be back!), but excitement going in to these last months and excitement to travel in August with dear friend Christina

*Got a police notice on my bike this weekend for leaving it in an illegal (aka, free) spot near the train station (first time in 10 months)...not sure what it says though, so I think I will play the gaijin card on this one

*Didn`t know that there was Wisteria in Japan, but as with many other natural wonders, there is also a celebration of this. Here it is called Fuji.