Moooooooooo

For the first time since I've been here in Kyoto, I finally got to eat some steak. You cannot belive how good the steak tasted!! It was almost eating steak for the first time. I've eaten beef here but not just a regular piece of steak. I had mentioned earlier that we went to Costco a while back and the main thing we bought was steak. Just plain old beef slabs. We haven't had a good chance to eat them, well not until today.

Krystal and I have bimonthly meetings with the other elementary JET people and today was such a day. We got a chance to wake up semi-late and crusie our way through the rest of the day. On the way home we were like "what's for dinner tonight?" Then the steaks in the freezer hit me.... we can have steak tonight. So Krystal went home and prepared them as best as she could with salt, pepper, chili olive oil, and some crushed garilc. When we had the first taste you can't possible understand the feeling of uphoria that came over me... As me and Krystal chomped down the steak we both thought about how we would have steak at both of our houses at least once a week or so. I never thought I could take steak so lightly... So for you guys more fortunate out there, start the fire, get yourfork and knife ready, and have a piece for me.

Oe more thing before I leave you for tonight, I was looking at my schedule and noticed something odd. I realized that I have no classes planned for Friday (tomorrow). There's is also a sport's Day kind of even t on Sunday and I figured that everyone was off because they susally give the teachers and student a day off for comign on a Sunday. Anyway I noticed the small detail and thought perhaps I too might have the day off. So I called the vice prinicipal to confirm and it was a good thing I did because he said I still needed to come in tomorrow. I was like what the hell for I have no classes and the dude says "no classes tomorrow but you still come to Sunagawa." What the hell is up with that?!? So does that mean I have to sit there for 8 hours doing absolutely nothing?!?! YES!! Even if I were getting paid having one sit there for doing nothing sounds like a crappy deal. I even asked if I could just got ot the main office and maybe find some work to do there but they want me to stay at the school at least until lunch, just sitting at my desk. What kind of bull crap is that!??! So tomorrow I have to wake p early and eveything... so irritated. If it weren't for the awesoem steak dinner tonight I might have shot someone tomorrow...


BREAK IT DOWN!!!

I need Harry...

So here I am, beening sitting at my desk for about two hours now. If only I had Harry Potter to keep me company. I'm pretty sure I could have fiished about half of the fourth book by now... So anyway the whole day has been gloomy and kind of on the cool side. It really reminds me of October already. They should've started on the Halloween decorations by this weekend huh? Places like Walmart and stuff. I wish I had my old room back then I could decorate it with whatever I wanted especially in Halloween fanfare. And Godiva too, I hate to admit it but I kind of miss Godiva. This was around the time when I started three years ago. I worked for three Halloween's and I guess I just miss holiday season.

Plus I'm totally missing football season It's not then same reading about the highlights off teh internet. I wish I could watch taped games at least but I have no VCR either. Should I get a T.V. or what? I can get foregin stations its just that I need to buy a satelite dish and I have to choose individual channels to put onto my cable box thingy. So far if I were to get one I would get STAR movies (need someway to keep up with the cinema) MTV or a Japanese Music television channel, ESPN, and maybe an anime station of somekind. Supposedly the dish would cost about a hundred and all the stations I mentioned above would be like 40 bucks a month. Worth it? I think so but the only thing is that you need your dish to face south (its where Japan picks up its signal from space) and I don't have the luxury of a balcony. Not even a small one. So then another option would be to bolt it to the outside wall but looking at my wall I noticed that it's kind of tiled. I wonder if you could bolt it throught the tile?

Sorry for babbling, I'm just really bored and there was no reading material today... but soon Goblet of Fire!!!

Break It Down!!!!

Wow, I'll tell you what WOW.

Wow is not even close to how I would explain today's weather. WHAT THE HeLL IS GOING ON TODAY!?!? When I woke up I noticed it was slightly darker than usual, so when I peaked out of the blinds I noticed that it was pouring. Luckily today seems to be the day where I need to got to my far school. Did I upset someone by any chance?

The only thing that protected me was the designer warm up suit that I bought in Fukuoka. It seemed to be water repelant... not resisitance. I wouldn't actually assume that the suit could take on pouring rain but I thought it did its job for today.

But what the fuck with the umbrella???!?! I seemed to have purchased the "in between in all aspects of an umbrella" umbrella. It was just large enough to cover head but not for my backpack. It was just deep enough for me to stick my shoulders under it but not my hands. It was just heavy enough that I hard a hard time trying to hold it against the wind. I thin I really pissed someone off today...

But luckily I had the skills of a Nihon-Jin (Japanese Person) and my one handed steering, one handed umbrella holding, and impecable sense of when to run the light and when not to, got me to school today. I was about 5 minutes late but in this storm I think the teacher s were surprised that I made it school.

Krystal purchased a poncho yesterday. I dunno if I can fit the ponchos here. It might be something I need to send for from home... a regular sized poncho. So as Lisa said there is another fircken hurricane coming. That would explain all this crappy ass weather. But on the other hand I like it when it rains so I'm torn, do I favor the my most ideal type of weather or do I favor the stormy weather that7s probably gonna give me pnuemonia on the way home. Weatherman says that the hurricane is supposed to be here tonight or early evening.

Perfect weather to be at home rapped up in a book, still in your PJ's, and under the blankets...

BREAK IT DOWN!

Alohamora!

Damn you Harry Potter!! Damn you and your curse!! I don't know what happened... I started to read Harry Potter and now I'm totally hooked on it. I can't put the book down. This coming from a person that worshisp T.V. I dunno what to say...

So anyway before coming to Japan I told myself that I would do read Harry Potter in Japan because it is supposed to get kind of boring between classes and stuff. So I decided to buy the first book and assumed that I was gonna ignore it like the one back home. But this time it was different. Even though I had already seen the move I was still totally drawn into the Harry Potter world and all the adventures at Hogwarts. So after the first book came the second one which I finished faster than the first and then came the thrid one which I finished today... only three days after I purchased it!! Was I finiding joy in reading??? Or maybe I could be that bored, that I might resort to reading?? Both are high likely but I can't get over this serge to read the damn books!! I even got Krystal involoved with Harry Potter. She told me that she wanted to read the fourth book again and so we bought it. I thought by the time I finished the the thrid one she would be done with the fiurth vut vecause I was so engrossed with the Azkaban book I finished it beofre Krystal even got half way. What the hell am I supposed to do now!?! I can't skip the fourth book and read the fifth...or can I... NO!! I must resist.

Not only with Harry Potter but with other books as well... when we went ot purchase Harry Potter I thought I might need some time off from Hogwarts so I picked but Anne Rice' Interview with a Vampire. Why I have no idea, all I know is that Anee Rice is morbid and that her books are highly interesting especially if you like the vampire stuff. So it has begun the metamorphisys of Chris...

Anyway on a more negative tone I just came back from the shopping and had made a very inportant decision in my life. Should I buy the MP3 player or a Mini IPOd? Most of you are probably screaming IPod but 4GB how many songs can that actually hold? From what the AV dude said at the store about 1000? Is that correct? Hackers of the world unite and answer my inquiry. So this all started this past weekend, and all teh biking around when I caught myself suinging a lot. So I thought o myself why not get a Cd player? Then I can listen to my Cds on these hour bike rides in the morning and the afternoon. So we go to a place last night and find out we got there like 10 minutes before closing... no CD player. So this morning I bike it to school with one song stuck in my head the whole way. After work Krystal and I decided to go and find a CD playter. She is also on the hunt for electronics too. Shes lookng for a digital camera. Your priorities change when you start getting paid more. Anyway we get there and I ask for Krystal's adivce and she says"why not just get an MP3 player?" So I have a dilemma lost of money with a dcision on wtechnology I want to buy. For a few 10 of dollars less that the MP3 player I van get a CD player with the remote button and cool light weight design. On the other hand I can get a MP3 player that is even lighter but no remote. And can store 2-3 of my CDs into it meaning I don't have to carry my CDs around. Just when I was about to make my decision I see the MIni IPod display. It looks cool, marketing people did a good job. And for about a 100 dollars mroe I can get a mini IPod where I can basically store my whole Cd collection in Japan on one handy thing that I can also take on my long bike rides. What shall i do? Buy the ceahp player, buy the more economicaly and easy managing of a MP3 player, or get the IPod which means I finally gave into JET and their song.I'm going for the IPod...onlhy thing is that it is kind of expensive and i have given myslef so much money alotted for luxuries in Japan. This being one of them I will be a good boy and vae the money for this onth's luzury combine it with next months and BANG I have an IPod.

School was ok...

That's all

BREAK IT DOWN!!

Mosh Pit Disney...

Yup thats right Mosh Pit Disney...

Its the new CD compilation that I pickd up this past weekend. Its a bunch of punk/ska music that goes to your ol' favorite disney tunes. Most amusing this cd is especially the funky Japanese vocals that have the most noticible Japanglish.

Anyway this weekend was pretty jam packed. I rained a lot on Friday so we basically stayed in all night. But on Saturday one of my schools' fourh graders were having a concert and I was invited to go and see them. I invited Krystal to come with me and basically took about an hour to get there. But she got to see some of my students and she got to hear some nice jamming. For instance theres a song that was really popular in Japan last year so its everywhere this year. It by a band called SMAP. I believe its Lauren's favorite Japanese band. It was pretty cool and then we went to visit my supervisor (she a SPED class teacher) so on the day of the ocncert it was kind of like an open house with parents and stuff. The SPED kids put on this little play that was really fun to watch.

Afterwards we headed to a sushi place called Kura Kura sushi. ( I think Kura Kura is the Japanese onomatopia for going round.) It was like eating like Genkis. I couldn't believe eating somewhere in Japan made me miss home so much. The bike ride was about 20 minutes off course so we sluggishly made it back into town where we live around 1:00.

But Krystal's school had a thing called undokai, which is kind of like a field day, where all the students in each grade participate in some physically "show" whether dance or relay race. The school did really good and the sixth graders put on a really good show of human pyramids and yoga type demonstrations. On the finale piece they made a human pyramid that was about 5 levels high it was really cool.

After that we came home for a much needed rest. We had left home at about 8:00 that morning and we were getting back around 5:00ish and of the 10 hours I think 3 hours went to riding bikes. But after a qucik break we went to get our hair cut. Krystal went to a hair salon and I went to a regular barber. It was a little apprehnsive about getting my hari cut since I've been going to the same place for about 10 years back at home. So when I went to this new place I tried to explain in my best Japanese exactly how I wanted it. He said ok and grabbed a pair of scissors and started tohack away!! I was so scared 'cause I had no idea what he was doing. When he finally stopped to change weapons I had a chance to get a glimps in the mirror and guess who I saw.... Friar Tuck from Robin Hood!!! I went into shock. This can't be the end of the haircut, there was no way that I can leave this place with my haircut like that. Fortunately we wasn't done and started to shape my haircut. Then it started to look pretty decent and I wasn't really worried. But then he started to recline the chair forward. And magically in front of me where there sued to be mirror now stood a sink. Where the hell did that sink come from? I have no idea. Anyway he asks me to bend over and he shampoos my hair. I thought they only did that at beauty salons... anyway it was nice and refreshing. Then he reclined the seat back to the main postion and gave me a hot towel for my face which he kind of put on and wiped my face. Then he reclined the chair again, this time backwards. Then the woman that worked there same out with shaving cream. Then I saw a razor blade, the ones in old movies where the guy gets shave with an actual blade. And she started to give me a shave which I kind of didn't need but oh wells. After the shave I was put into the upright seating position. Then the barber came back and put this kind of alcohol/peppermint ting in my head and totally thrashed my scalp. I guess it was supposed to be like a scalp massage. Then after that he cleaned me off and put the finishing touches on my hair. So after al this I have anew haircut... hmmmm I guess its ok.... nothing spectacular but different.

Was that the end of my day? Nope... it was my first day at the kendo dojo! That's right I gonna take kendo. Saturday was just to watch but it was pretty intense. They literally scream as they charge and I noticed you practice getting hit in the head with the bamboo sword. But I was so interested that I told them that I would come back. The sensei told me that it was hard work and the firts couple months all you do is practice swinging your sword. So should I do it? HELL YEAH!! I'm not going anywhere for a while so why not trying something cultural in Japan? It looks pretty interesting to be in the gear and haivng matches and stuff. (the gear which I won't be getting until about 6 months of swinging practice.) But still I'm excited, not to mention the challenge I have with Jake....

That was my weekend so far... so exhausted....


BREAK IT DOWN!!!

Autumnal Equinox

Happy First Day of Autumn!

So anyways, I needed to say that because any country that celebrates the changing of seasons with an actual holiday deserves a proper announcement, especially on my blog.

So anyways, last night was a very interesting night. It seems like a new monthly ritual, that if one gets paid then one must go out and get pissed drunk to celebrate the increase in personal wealth. So last night a bunch of the JETs went out to HUB, then to a Nomihoudai and then to another nomihoudai and karaoke. Krystal and I met up with everyone on the way to a restaurant/bar. Nice cozy place that played the pop hits of yesterday while we enjoyed drinks. ( Beer, Wine, and Whiskey were not available...) werid...

But the weirdest thing was that there was only one person working the whole place. I just assumed that he was the bartender and usually bartenders work alone. But I soon realized that it was only him running the whole place. He did the bartending, waiting, and the cooking. Another dude decided to show up later but he was only useful in the waiting tables area. I felt kind of sorry for the nice Japanese bartender/waiter/cook.

To continue the festivities we went to a karaoke place that was also nomihoudai. We went to a differnt place form where I was used to but it "all good". The drinking and karaoke-ing continued for another few hours but on the way out there was a small scuffle. During our money collection period another group of I think "Americans" were on their way to a room when a guy made a pass at one of our girls. The girl (which I will keep annonymous) casually told the dude to get away when he made a grab for her. Due to the number of people in our party the dude kinda left but as he was leaving the hallway a guy in our group gets up and makes a comment about not touching girls and this crazy ass dude goes off. He starts pushing and even takes a swing. They had three people in their group and we had about 10. Not to mention that we had some very able guys in our group that could do a little ass-kicking if they had too. Anyway the fight was broke up, with the knowledge that if we as JETs got into a fight then it would be time to pack our bags. So to end this story we left without getting into a scuffle but were perfectly able to if we had to.

Where was I you migth ask? I was not a part of the scuffle because I feel that I am not what you would call a fighter. I was being a supporting spectator and thinking about it yesterday what would I have done if they really did break inot a fight? I don't know. On one hand I would totally stick up for my friends and if they needed me I would be there but on the other hand, I didn't want to be involved by throwing a few pucnhes or kicks and then have to come home... I guess its a good thing that nothing happened... like what one of the dudes said last night, "no ass kciking in Japan is worth being sent home"

So anyway, today is the autumnal equinox and we had a day off. In the middle of the week I might add. Not to mention that it is a Thursday and we still need to go into work tomorrow. Maybe I shouldn't complian too much...

THINGS I ACCOMPLISHED TODAY:

Laundry is done.

Naruto puzzle (1000 pieces).

Brushed my teeth.

Got Krystal interested in Naruto.

Watched "The Goonies".

Went grocery shopping and saved some money being a "good shopper".

Being the best person I could be... while staying at home.


BREAk IT DOWn!!!

Mid Week Update...

I noticed that I never blog on Tuesdays and that's because Tuesdays are my long days and I am without a computer all day until I get home. While at the other schools especially on wednesdays I have computer access. At my Wednesday school each teacher is given a laptop woth wireless connection hence my blogging every wednesday.

Today is no different then last week except for the fact that the English teacHer is here today. He wanted to teach the fifth graders about different feelings but it ended up stinking really bad. Even he knew because his face was in a sour pout the whole second half of the first period. So i ended up cHaning the lesson almost completely and the students liked it. He was even impressed that I came up with a quick lesson plan.

I kind of feel bad because I feel the lessons that these English teachers come up with are more geared towards younger grades. I think they feel that because English is new to most of them that they can do 1st grade curriculum. But the thing is that you can keep the same curriculum but when teaching a different (older) grade their interests are different so you need to change the activity. You can do a pretend store with second graders but use that with a sixth grade class and you're basically asking for it because they feel we're insulting their intelligence.

Every school that I go to I try to explain the danger in making the older kids do childish activities but they don't seem to understand. They always have to crash and burn first. Not to sound big headed, it really was good experience doing my placement in upper elementary. Damn maybe I am destined to be a teacher...

Break It Down!!

Back home...

Back home after a fantastic weekend at Fukuoka. We has such a blast that I didn't even want to got to work today, but I did...

So we got back home yesterday at about 8:30 or so. It was a nice 2 hour train ride back home that was peaceful and relaxing. We had just spent the last weekend at Lisa for her surprise visiting. I think everyone had fun. We got to go shopping and we got to go to an amusement park. It was pretty awesome but compared to Disneyland, it was nothing. I think "SpaceWorld" was the total of about three lands at Disneyland. But it was very satisfiying to spend it with friends.

In SpaceWorld the first ride we went on was the Alien Panic or layman's terms "haunted house". That's right it was a haunted house (like the ones you see around Hallowween) but with an alien theme. We walked along dark corriders and around walls that had green black light sensitive "splatters" everywhere. Actually it was fine until I got the shit scared out of me with the first "alien" that pooped up. It was scary but the kind where you kinda laugh because you ask yourself "how the hell did that scare me". And going with three girls totally weighing you down because they're either pulling your shirt or your camera strap. So we walk through a bunch of exhibits and when I turned around once, all three girls were in the "i've just drank 20 beers and they are all coming back out" stance and shuffling their feet in the direction that I'm going. We make it out and we just kinda look at each other and laugh, that something so not spooky made us scream so much.

Then it was to the Twin Mercury... (water ride where you take a picture at the last drop) This ride wasn't to bad. It was kind of like the Matterhorn mountain / Splash mountain. There were small dips so the perosnin the front would get wet and there wers ome parts of teh ride where you're zooming around in the dark around sharp corners. It was ok the first time but as we were going down we didn't really know which side the camera was on so we just looked straight ahead and somebody got blocked by somebody's arms in the air. (Krystal's arm in my face) So wed ecided to come back and take another picture later. Oh yeah and Krystal head butted me on the way down... FYI

Then we went to the TITAN. It was a pretty bg rollercoaster that had a couple of nice drops. Krystal and I went on it because Lisa was saying that she couldn't handle the ride and that she was gonna lose all bodily function which she translated into I'm gonna start crying, then throw up everywhere and then shit myself because of this "not to steep drop". She actually made it to thr top of the ride line and then told us to go first and tell her how it was. The whole time I'm trying to convince her that it looks a little slower than the ones in Six Flags but she insits we go first. While going down the first drop I was glad that Lisa stayed back because it was kind of scary and I didn' want to smell like puke/shit all day.

We headed toward the Space dome where they had two rides one called the Black Hole Stunner (I think) and the Planet Cruise. Planet crusie very similar to Soaring Over California where we fly over terrain from other planets or the Back to the Future ride in Universal Studios. I was wondering how the hell do they know what the terrain is like on any of the planets accept Mars and Earth? Kinda boring and actually induced sleep on Krystal. The Black Hole ride ws kind of a bore to because it was a really weak version on Space Mountain. Not fast and we kinda went around in a circle because we saw the same back drops. There was a big display of Godzilla paraphenelia and nothing more than that.

After we went on a ride called the Aqa planet. Similar to Grizzly Bear Rapids at California Adventure Park. Circular river rafts going through unnecissary white water to make people jealous. I guess I though that my curse was lifted from California but the water rides don't like me curse followed me all the ay to Japan. I was laughing at Lisa getting wet by these mini waves when a wave of water come staright over my head drenching my whole back. Talk about medicine being fricken bitter...

We were then off to a ride called the Star Shaker. Very similar to Star Tours. Flying a cargo ship out of a docking bay and then entering an alien pod race or something. Kinda werid but a lot more exciting than the other two in the dome. Plus we were all wet so we made the seats soggy, hee hee

After that I believe we passed through an area called the Carnival where they had these carnival type games and which I happily donated 10 dollars to a football throwing game to win these inflateable angel wings by the way I didn't win. Then we went to ride called the Venus. Similar to the rollercoaster Boomerang at Knott's Berry Farm. It was by far the most fun ride at the park. It was a roller coaster that had drops and loops and sharp turns. All not scary enought o keep lisa away, she ended going on it twice and claimed "Best Ride".

The we took a relaxing ride on the Space Eye! (Ferris Wheel) It was pretty high and we got nice shots of teh moutains and the harbour. That was Space World in a nutshell.

After Lisa took us to a mall to get something to eat and across the street we saw some police officers trying to aprhend some delinquent teenagers (girls) They were all kicking a screaming and actually hitting the cops. It was a nosy momment for us.

Then our last day Lisa took us to another mall place that was pretty cool. It was made with like modern architecture so the buildings were funky shaped. Plus we got to see the castle in the Fukuoka area. Pretty majestic. Lisa bought us some honey ice cream taht she kept raving about and when we finally ate it, it tasted like vanilla soft serve. Sorry to disappoint her but it did, but still good.

Anyway all in all it was an awesome way to celebrate Lisa's 25th birthday. I'm so tired that it has carried over to today... wonder if I can make it to work tomorrow...

Break iT dowN!!!

From Fukuoka...

Konnichi Wa from Fukuoka!!

Mission Accomplished!!

Mission Surprise Lisa while in her Underwear had worked! So for the past few days Krystal and I have been plotting to surpirse Lisa all the way in Fukuoka. Orignally we had planned to go to Osaka, but we decided instead of day trips to go and visit Lisa. I believe that the only people that knew were Kristen (Our new friend from Hawaii) and Jacob. Jacob because I guess I needed to tell someone and Kristen was our accomplice on the inside. It went just as planned and Lisa was totally surprised. I believe her main reaction when we first came ws to scream and then she held her chess for about 15 minutes because she wasn't wearing a bra. Werid...

So anyway I'm in Fukuoka right now and it feels a lot like Hawaii here. There's an abundance of fresh air because of all the greenery. Compared to Kyoto I think I saw more green in one 10 minute walk than a week in Kyoto. But at the same time there are a few negative things. For all the green I saw I also saw many bugs. Bugs don't really bother me but there seems to be like so many that I guess I'm afarid of being bitten or something.

Today wasn't that eventful we just stayed up late and woke up late. We had the tradition Hawaiian Breakfast, Spam and Eggs. Plus it was garlic spam, which made it really good. Then we went to the neighborhood mall/shopping complex or something. It was pretty cool, there was a music stre, video arcade, book store, clothing store, and a supermarket. I went to the store and was relieved to find a "big" store. I bought a workout suit because I feel that its a required uniform for elementary school teachers. So I have a jumphuti now. It was kinda expensive but I figure it was something I could actually fit.

After a few hours of shopping we had some takoyaki appetizers. It was really really good. If anyone has a chance to get some takoyaki i would highly recommend it. Then we went to a rotating sushi place very similar to Genkis. It was actually better than the one in Kyoto close to our house.

But here I am at Lisa's totally involved with a drama on Japanese T.V. that is on right now... damn what's gonna happen...


Break it Down!!

FRIDAY FRIDAY FIRDAY!!

Contrary to popular belief, the Friday came and I couldn't be more excited.

Ok those beginng lines are starting to get kinda lame huh?

Well anyway Friday is here and that means it's teh WEEKEND!! Which is even cooler this Friday since its a three day weekend, Originally a bunch of us Kyoto City Jets were supposed to go and explore Osaka. Osaka is known for its culrutre and the beautiful natural setting... yeah right!! I think it's considered the party capital in japan. Anyway the three day weekend was gonna be filled with outlet malls, crazy nightlife, really good ribs and even an amusement park! I think that sounds fun but the trip was slightly changed due to some conflicts in interests. Originally we were gonna stay in Osaka (get hotel rooms) and explore the city. But as we started to discuss the topic in greater detail everyone started to go off in their own ways. Not necissarily a bad thing but now there is one destination but like 20 things to do.

We ended up canceling the trip and everyoen going their own ways. My friend Elisa's cousins were coming into Kyoto so shes gonna stay back and take them around KLyotot. My other friend Helen really wanted to go visit the out skirts of the kansai area. LIke visiting Kobe and maybe even Hemeji. So what are Krystal and I to do? i guess we'll find something to do. We haven't really visited the numerous shrines and temples in Kyoto so we can always do that. They also reccomend airing out your futon every once in a while. I guess we can do that... not really dissapointed as one may think.

As for school I had third graders today. Not bad at all. they are very enthusiastic to learn and speak English. I guess that's what makes this job fun. Not to mention the good pay.

Anyway I biked down again and found that the weather may be gettig alittle cooler than it has been. The morning seems colder and crisp like. Very similar to California in the spring. But in the afternoon if feels like home. Todays lunch was pretty good too, we had this potato beef thing kinda like a stew with rice and seaweed (konbu). I think it is teh best lunch I've had here in the Japan school Sysytem. That's actually Krystal and my daily conversation what did you have for lunch. I wouild have to say that the students here are a lot more independant than back at home. Did you know that very class has lunch on their classroom with their teacher.? The more amazing part of it is that the students are the ones who go to the kitchen and pick up food as well as serve for their fellow classmates in their room. Its also fairly clean, I haven't seen one spill or accident in any of the school sI've been in. There is no way that the kids back home can do that. Not even the sixth graders, I would say that the earliest grade to test this system in the US would be 8th. Even then I have a feeling that some classes are not gonna eat lunch or be totally fooling around.

Other than taht wish us good luck in ouyr endeavors for the three day weekend? Should I come home for the weekend? Or maybe just go visit someone?

BREAK IT DOWN!!!

One more day to go...

I decided to go with this color because I feel... estrogeny today.

Actually i don't I'm starting to run out of colors taht look good on black background and I'm trying not to use the same colors.

But anyways, just one more day to go and then WEEKEND!! Actually the week went by fast but feel like it needs to get here soon! Work is starting to get more fun sice we're in the roll of things, and I'm coming down of the self intros, I must have done like 300 hundred by now. Thats an exaggeration but trust me its a lot.

I had my first AIM conversation today with my dad and Krystal's mom. Werid huh? I dunno why but she started talking to me about how life is here and what do I make for dinner, just concerned parent stuff. In a different window I was tellign my dad of a care package I want him to send me things I can't really get here like Norton's antivirus program and American Dvds. Plus a can of corn beef hash is no where to be found on this island.

Well foot in moment of the year so far: I went to one of my schools and when there is extra time after class they all want to play a game. So usually its heads ip seven up. Well because I want be fair I usually call for three girls and four boys. Well at this one school I asked for three girls and only two volunteered. So I kept begging some of the kids to do it. Then finally the girl in the front row right in front of me gets up. But to me this "girl" really really really really really looks like a boy. So I put my hands on he's shoulders and tell him: " sannin onnako" emphasizing on the onnako part. Then the whole class calls out "ONNA KO DA YO!!!" He is a girl!!! I never felt so bad in fron of a class as much as I did that day. Sayinry the girl didn't seem to mind and continued to play the game. Man was that shitty. But here what the girl looked like to me.

Imagine my haircut but not as thick and longer in the back. She had on a brown rugby shirt with the number three on the left pocket area, And she had shorts that wen pass the knee, kind of like surf sorts where there are like rip cord thingss to make them tight around the calves. And not to mention very misleading blue socks that went with Nikes. Girl or Boy???

Week 3 of classes...

OK so like I promised I'm back.

Well the week has been going by pretty good. Yesterday I biked to my furthest school nd was it a bike. I think it took about 55 minutes or so. Not too mention the sligth uphill battle that I was having with the road. Last week I took the train but I wanted to see if I could do it. It actually isn't far to another school that I bike too but I have to go over another bridge and thats what makes it a little tiring. But anyway I biked to school and it was ok. Actually today was a lot better than yesterday because the weather was a littler cooler. Yesterday was a "too muggy" day to be riding for more than 20 minutes.

So today I came to my far school and noticed that the students are pretty good this week. I guess I don't seem to foreign anymore and I'm accepted as a teacher. I have yet to experience this in my other schools.

I think overall I'm getting used to the job. Its really is work because you wake up every morning and you do the same thing. I'm relieved that my scenery changes everyday but for my friends that stay at one school everyday to every week to every month that must suck. Actually I have a good nemuber of classes. Krystal has 7 classes so some of her classes she only sees like once a month. That would suck.

What else to blog.... time for random thougths......

I just finihsed entertainin myself at school by going to Joel's page and going on the urban legends link and reading a whole bunch. There are some weird stuff on that webpage which I think is kinda interesting. I read all of the horror urban legends and sme are actually pretty sccary, then they have a place where you can chekc out all these different pictures of things random oxccuring thigns in the world.

i feel like somethng sweet

I could use a nap right about now.

The ride back home is gonna suck ass.

I wonder what Joel's doing?

I think I'm gonna go to the convience store after this...

They have an AC maybe I should suggest it...

If I were to put my head down and take a 30 minute nap would the teachers say anything?

Can't stop yamning...

Eyes tearing up...

Too much yawning...

hmmm... thats all better cut it off

Break it DOWN!!!

Weekend rundown...

What happened on the weekend?

Simple rundown,

On Friday we had our very first poker tournament in Japan. It was pretty fun playing with new people but I did miss the old games where you kinda know how to play eacher other. My observations of the players back home.

Pete: never really bluffs always plays the good hand and throws crap away as soon as he gets it except when he's the blind.

Jake: The real gambler, knows when to drop chips or fold, but usually likes to gamble and becomes the pot bumper or stays to see the river. Like to bluff in the weridest times so if you got semi decent you call.

Cliff: Also the pot bumper and werid bluffer. he usually bluff s when Jake is not and when Jake is he isn't. Cliff tends to get bored fast so if you play long enough he starts to play aggressive. Re-raising or calling anything as long as he has a picture card.

As for me: if you don't know then GOOD! But if I could get these vague descriptions of my poker buddies they probably have some of me...

But anyways the game at my new Atlantian friends' house was pretty cool. Felt like home but not. That doesn't make any sense. And drinking to follow. Actually I found/discovered a new drink that has become my new favorite. Sorry Tanguray, you always be my poison, But anyway the new drink is Coke and Red wine. Yeah yeah yeah, I know it sounds funny and even gross but its really good and refreshing. The best part of it is that you don't need expensive wine to drink the drink. Any type of red wine is good enough. Plus you wouldn't really want to use expensive wine with coke. But yeah its good try it. You get about 2/3 wine and 1/3 coke and throw some ice into the glass and it is perfect sipped through a straw. Perfectly sophisticated and yet vibrant with youth!!

OK after the poker game we went home buzzed and feeling good. Krystal and I ended up sleeping to about 2:30 in the afternoon. It was how a weekend was meant to be spent, We then used the rest of Saturday lounging around and finishing up the Japanese drama GTO Great Teacher Onizuka. It was a 12 episode eeries that has drama, romance, comedy and sometiems even some ass kicking. Perfect for couples, singles, and would be teachers. The show is so funny that I reccomend it to everyone. There is also an anime version which I have not seen but the live show is pretty good too.

Sunday was a day to clean house. I guess you kind of take for granted when living at home that simple household chores are gonna be done when you come home. Having your own place kinda sucks in that poin tof view. For instance it was the first time I cleaned the toilet since I moved in. Is there some kind of rule of when you need to clean your toilet? Or is it a common rule that when the skid marks and yellow tinge don't go away when you flush a good sign? Anyway I got a toilet brush another frist for me, and cleaned the damn toilet. Other things you don't really realize: how much you spend when you have to use your own laundry detergent and fabric softener, exactly how much trash you can accumalate, and etc...

Its actually Wednesday today so I'll give the week rundown later this afternoon. For now wish me luck I got 3 6th grade classes and 1 3rd grade class...


Break it DOWN!!

TGIF>>>

This color looks cool to write in today.

Ok so its Friday and as we say all over the wqorld THANK GOODNESS IT'S FRIDAY!! The week was long and hard but I was able to ride it through with the slipperiest of ease. That was gross...

So today was another day at my Friday school. It was nice and cool the whole day and only during my last hour here it is starting to rain. I hope it doesn't rain in the 45 minutes it takes me to get home. Although most of Kyotot is flat there is a slight incline going northbond. Anyway I had a pretty good time in most of my classes. Going nto my first fourth grade class I was pretty irritated since the fourth grade teacher came up to me like 5 minutes before class and then told me that he wanted me to do this. Which I really wouldn't have a problem but it was stuff that was really out of order and to jump areound with kids who haven't really had andy experience of english, It's gonna be hard. Another thing was that he seems like a teacher that teachers his kids english but when I was lisenting to his translations it was horrible. All we know is some vocabulary is what I might say about him.

The other class I had some trouble in was a fifth grade class where the teacher refused to help me translate the Japanese questiuons inot English. That bitch it juts made it that much harder. And when it was time to play heads up 7 up she didn't undertand my direction (which I felt were easy because every other class figured it out) we ended up laying a different game. We played furit basket. If you were in Circle K you probably played the game where everyone sits in a circle and the one person in the middle makes a statement and if the statement is true for you you must change seats.. Yeah that was boring but I guess its like THE game here.

Anyway I'm pretty excited about tonight. Its our first texas hold'em game in Japan!! I hope that I can win some money so I can justify spending a lot of money on toys. We made some new freinds from Atlanta that like to lay so w finally got a date and we're gonna play. I'm so excited, and i just can hide it, I'm about to lose control and I think I like it. Why do I always break out into song??? Maybe I wish that my life were a muscial every now and then. But yeah hold'em tonight. Must spread the hold'em seeds all over the world... I guess you can say that I'm making progress since I started in the Pacific and then got to the west of the Pacific or the east whichever way you want to look at it. ANyway I'm begining to get restless and I need to get out of here. Catch ya guys on the flip side.

BREAK IT down!!!

Day 6, still wandering...

Ok, so that mood color thing isn't really working but I figure that whenever I write, must look cool in a black background, so here's red.

Sorry about not blogging yesterday. Yesterday was my first day commuting to work by train and let me tell you, you think you can just sit there and crusie it but yesterday was the most tired I have been. It's probably all the anziety I have about making the train on time and then wondering if its the right train. Sometimes it is the right train but wrong direction. I miss makai and mauka...

So anyway yesterday I went to may farthest school and hell yeah it was far. I had to catch two trains and walk about 10 minutes to get there. Not to mention that when I got off the second train I walked about 10 minutes in the wrong direction. Luckily my Japanese is getting better and I was able to say where is ')(&'%(%'( elementary school? The school was very good. I would have to say that at this school the teachers have a lot more control of their classes. Not that they are Hitler-istic but when the teacher says to quiet down it does.

They also seem to enjoy Heads up 7 up a lot more than the other students at the other schools. It was a very good day but very tiring day.

On a good butt bad note, there was a hurricane yesterday. My fifth period class got cancelled and the whole school went itnot this werid frenzy. They were all calling parenst and guardians to take their children home. In the end I think 10 parents showed up t ppick their kids up. The rest of the school was escorted by the teachers home. They were split into neighborhoods and each teacher took one. I guess all in walking distance cause how are you gonna fit a whole school in a few cars?

Anyway the sky getting grey and gray, I was begining to worry if I was gonna make it home ok. They seem to have many hurricanes here. Anyway I have specific instructions that my day ends at 4:30. No earlier no longer. But because of the hurricane the VP said I could go home. I said hell yeah and left. It took me a good hour to get home and sure enough it started to rain really hard as a got into my apartment.

This is kinda weird but I thought I lost this post. I was writing at school when the computer froze and I wasn't sure if I saved it or not. But checking it today I see that I have nothign to worry about...

Ok not day 6 but 7 today. Nothign especially special today. I didn't have today because we have these observational meetings every two weeks. It was a first of many meetings to come. I think by the end of the year we have to have some kind of book made or something. It was kinda tedious but I got throught without falling asleep.

The meeting was kinda long but it wasn't as long as our orientation meetings we had earlier this month. Wow thinking about it, today marks the the one month period since I had left home... kinda werid this feeling. Wow to be away from home for a month? I guess it's hard to believe since I have never lived on my own before. Simple stuff like doing laundry and dishes makes me feel independant yet kinda irritated since I got away with not doing that at home... oh the buzzer for thelaundry be right back...

Ok, laundry all hung and Krystal said she'd be done soon. She lives right upstairs for those of you who don't already know. She was taking a nap and I think its gonna be saimin for dinner tonight.

I don't know how long its been since I had some Zippy's but a month is pretty long. Man I feel like I haven't had Zippy's in over a year. Fried chicken complete mean, substitute mac salad for vegetables, salad with ranch dressing, large ice tea, and a slice of pumpkin pie for dessert. And if I'm feeling crazy which I am, maybe some chilli cheese fies, and If I'm even more crazy then a small saimin. that sounds like a killer meal... Oh to be home again.,.

BREAK it Down!!!

Technically day 6 but today 4...

I am feeling tired and need some sort of liquid refreshment...

Well today was a new day of teaching. It was first day with students in a class at the school where I had mistaken last week Thursday to be the first day. That sounds really confusing but I know what I'm talking about.

School was pretty good for me. I haven't done any real teaching since all the beginning class are self-introductions. Of'course I needed to "change" a few deatils since my life isn't that intersting is it... For instance I downloaded a pic of a Kawasaki Ninja and told everyone that it was my bike. I am quite aware that I never did and nor will I ever own (if my mom has something to say) a bike but because I know how to ride a bike I assumed if I were to buy a bike it would be a mid 90's Kawasaki Ninja. I feel its a bike that I can probably handle. And the chance of them actually finding out that I don't have a bike would be very slim, which could be easily covered up with another lie.

I also said I don't know how to do the hula. Another stereotype that I need to fight through with a machette. You would expect that as soon as someone knows you're from Hawaii its safe to say that the first few questions have to have one containing something about your hula ability. Usually people put their hands up and start waving them around the most stereotypical hula move. (you all know what I am talking about.) I simply just told them that in Hawaii there are two types of hula dances the male and the female. The one that eeryone mimics is the girl one and since I am not a girl I can't do it. Then I just say that I don't know the male ones either. This usually gives the hint that one cannot learn female hula if you are a a male and no one knows of male hula so the subject is automatically dropped.

But other than that it has been awesome at school.

This past weekend was pretty fun. On Saturday Krystal and I slept in due to the mild hangover we were having after a night of The Official Kyoto City JET Welcome party, Karaoke with our bosses, and a few more hours of dancing. I believe I passed out early Saturday morning and woke up soemtime after 1:30. Then we spent the day just watching some movies and I would say it was a very productive day.

On Sunday we went to COSTCO! Our savior.. There were could get what small piece of home it would give us. Can foods by Campbell, SPAM, olive oil, TP, and the usually Costco hot daog and pizza. It was so good to see items that I recognized like Kirkl.land. The whole day was devoted to Costco. We left Kyoto City around 11 and arrived in Amagasaki. It was about a 30 minute train ride.Whioch is not far at all. Shopping took a good 3 hours and we were on the way back home . We took our suitcases to carry the "luggage" we bought at Costco. Everyone's suitcase was filled with things like peanut butter, jam, deordorant, gum, fresh fruit (the furits here are crazy expensive and I dont know why Japanese people don't have scurrvy) and many more things that make our stay in Kyoto not so Japan-esque.

So here I am now after teaching 4 lessons today, out of breathe, sweaty, (humidity not helping at all), and tired. At least the classes I had today were all decent and no class gave me a bad impression. Sigh... Four more days to go...

Break it DOWN!!!

Day 3 part 2...

Feeling Tired....

Ok so my day is over and unlike my other school the VP offered me the computer with the internet because the rest of the staff was going to a meeting and I don't really have anything to do until 4:30. So here I am in an enpty office blogging.

I guess I wanted to comment on what I said earlier. About how I didn't really like second period.... they aren't too bad. I didn't know this earlier but I have to eat lunch with a different class each week and this week just happened to be second period class. I was expecting to find the same rowdy class as in the morning but they were actually pretty good. Four boys came up to me and started to ask these acinine questions but hey it was communication. From listening to these student talk I realized what little Japanese I really know. Anyway I guess you can say I kinda made friend with them. After lunch we ended up going to recess together and playing some dodgeball. I knew I was accepted when I caught th eball of one of the better players. Everyopne ooohhhed and awwwwed. It always feels good to be accepted right?

I left recess thinking that my day was kinda over but it wasn't I had one more class to see. First Im@pression : shy and timid. All I heard in that class was giggling or silence. It got riduculous after the first 15 minutes so I just sped through my introduction. Then I tried to play the game but they didn't really respond. That was a hellish 45 minutes. Afterwards the teacher came up to me and apologized for his class. And who am I to stand there and critize his class. I just smiled and nodded to everything he said and said that his class was ok. What he doesn't know is that when I say soemthign is ok it really means it could be better... that's mean... I'm probably gonna eat my foot again next week.

On a happier note, tonight is the JET program official social. That means boozing and partying Nihonjin style! I dunno if I'm gonna make it knowing that I need to bike up home. And the current temperature is not going to help either. But I hope its worth all the partying we'ree hoping to do tonight.

I told Krystal a story yesterday and she though tit was funny as hell. Here it is:

So I was in the office at my base school with just the VP and anotehr teacher. We were sitting quietly when the VP was making a small rukus. He was getting ready for an earthquake drill. I guess I never been in an earthquake drill before so I thought that I would watch. The VP was rewinding a tape when I walked over and started up a conversation. he played the tape for me which sounded lik a lot of rumbling sounds and things breaking. It was their "fake earthquakes" for the drills. So anyway he rewinds the tape and tehn starts to set everything up. The drill was supposed to start at 2+00 but the VP accidently hit play when the stereo was near the loud speaker and then it made this huge real earthquake sound. That's when the quietly working teacher jumps up and says (translation : WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!) You might be telling yourself that this isn't funny but you need to change the snetence above into japanese and then slurr it as a middle aged japanese man who just got the shit scared out of him. Krystal laughed so hard she was turniung red. That's my funny story.

Wandering day 3

Another "feeling good" post...

Ok so here I am in day three. What do you say? Can it be that Chirs has finally found work?

Well today was an early start since I needed to bike from my house to my other school which is about 5-6 kilometers away. I'm guessing in American terms would be biking from my house to Pali Longs or so. So the day started at the butt crack of dawn (7:00) I got up to find that Krystal had already left. Her school is even further than my school and needed to cath several modes of public transportation.

It was a nice cool and crisp morning, especially if you need to bike hella far. (Sorry made a new friend from Sacramento and she always says hella) Anyway It reminded me of the weather in California in the morning where the temperature was cool until the sun gets high in the sky. So I started my bike ride which was decent, nice, smooth downhills and very few traffic lights. ( Or at least obeyed traffic lights).

I got to school around 8;15, which is a decent time for all Japanese workers. So anyway I get to the school and it reminds me of an old school where things are kinda dirty (not trash but dusty) equipment isn't state-of-the-art, and there are old boxes everywhere. So I was a bit discouraged to step in. But I guess this is where the term "looks can be decieving". The staff was very happy and bright. The VP and P were very eager to meet me and I was the star of the morning.

I started the day but being flexible and teaching my class one period early. First impression of the first class: anxious. Everyone in the class was eagerly waiting for my arrival. Their homeroom teacher is the teacher in charge of my well-being here in Japan so she had given them very easy English lessons and name tags which were awesome. I started my intro and it was perfectly done... everyone was listening.

Second class- First impression: Lively... thats the good word. I guess the bad word would be fricken out of control. The teacher is a guy that I guess is used to being there just as a head adult figure. The kids were totally not listening and totally doing their own thing. And it was elementary... I though they were good until they got to Middle school. Anyway they weren't listening nor were they participating in my questioning. This is when I brought out the big guns and said we're gonna play a game. Its called heads up, 7 up. You all know this game right? Anyway they first game that they did was ok but after that anarchy!! No one was following the rules and basically that class sucked!! Nuf' said

Third class: First impression: the more perfect class. Everyone was into what I had to say. They had the right reactions to the things I said and I would say that was the most fun I've had in a classroom in Japan. And when we started the heads up seven up game they were totally into it and no one broke the rules. It was the way the game was meant to be played. And so now I have a free period, I felt that I needed to write my day so far. One more class to go , I hope they're more like third class than second and I guess I would take first class again. Can I survive... I hope so....

Break it DOWN!!

Wandering day 2...

Confusion....

green means " Confused "

So anyway I got my internet access at home yesterday!! SUGE NA!! I arrived home to find two messages in my mailbox about Yahoo BB coming to my apartment twice to drop off my modem. I was pretty bummed thinking they came once at 10:30 and then again at 2:00. Honestly what working man would be home at 2:00 in the afternoon. Kinda sulking after the fact that everyone else might get internet before me I had a lovely dinner with Krystal. Chicken, rice, corn, umeboshi, spaghetti sause... you know the standard dinner. Anyway two of my new made friends (for you single guys in Hawaii that read this, pretty cute friends I might add) called to tell me they just recieved their modem. WHAT!?!?! So this guy makes a stop at 10:30 am and then goes back to their apartment at 8 to deliver? I wasn't gonna have any of this...

Krystal called the delivery man and lucky enough he was on his way toward my house for one more final check to see if I was home. So thats the story of internet access at home.

So anyway I was so excited that I got online at home that I totally trashed my house. There were twisty ties and plastic bags everywhere. Another problem that rose up was the fact that my phonejack thingy was no where near the current comfortable postion of the laptop. So last night, with help from Krystal we rearranged my whole apartment. Normaly that probably would have taken a few hours but my apratemnt being 6 tatami mats big it was done in 15 minutes. (1 tatami mat is about 5 feet by 3. So if you count the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry area my whole apartment is about 6 of those mats. MY actual living space is about 3 - 31/2 mats big.)

So "why green of confusion?" you might ask yourself.

So I came into work today "assuming" that I had to teach my first lesson. I was psyched and ready to go. I went down to my designated room and went through about 2 dry runs to see how much time it took. 9:15 ok I have 20 minutes before my first class in Japan. 9:20 maybe I should take this moment to do some meditating (nap) before I need to explain my life for the next 4 hours. 9:27 What the hell was that sound!? 9:30 ok 5 minutes to go palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy, theirs vom... not that again. 9:35 ok any minute now 33 sixth graders will come into contact. 9:38 ok they're runing late. That's ok they are all on the third floor. 9:40 maybe the teacher forgot. 9:45 ok can a teacher be 10 minutes late? 9:48 screw this I'm going back up to the staff room.

So I walk into the staff room and the teacher that was supposed to come down is chillin' looking for her materials causally. " I say in perfect broken English " We have class today yes?" Perplexed expressions is all I get. Then in perfect broken japanese "kyoo wa lesson ga aru?" The perplexed face turns into surprised face. She runs to her desk and flings out her folder and points to the date of the first lesson. ITS SAYS SEPTEMBER 6!! What the hell is today then?!?! Oh yeah stupid me the dumbass English teacher is ghiving everyone in the office a heart attack. Then with a few conversations in broken english and japanese and fake laughing the confusion dies...

I was never meant to work today. Well I had to come into work but no actual working. Odd.... So here I am trying to look busy in an empty office with just a few people (VP. Curriculum Coordinator) What will I do today? More blogging? Zone off? Think about deep thoughts of the universe and why we're here? Pronbably zone...

BREAK IT DOWN!

Wandering in Japan

Wandering...

(this my new attempt to keep some sort of blog so that people back at home or places where the phone service is too expensive can read about my life and the daily events whether mundane or totally exciting to the maximum I`m also gonna do a new thing where I type in different colors and the colors determine the mood i`m currently in, therefore wait for updates on mood.) what a huge run-on sentence....

Orange means -- feeling good.

Well today was the first day of my new blog and my frist day of school with my students. Well technically all I do was give a small speech at the opening ceremony of the new school year. Technically it`s their second half of the year cause their scghool year goes from April to March, with all the appropriate holidaqys in between.

So anyway I was to give the whole school a speech on Hawaii and that I`m gonna be their new English teacher and stuff. I was thinking of a creative way for the students at Rakuo Elementary to hear me speak and I went blank....
Standing in front of the whole school just waiting to be introduced, felt like ages. My palms are sweaty, knees weak arms of heavy, there`s vomit on my sweater, mom`s spaghetti... yeah right! But I was pretty nervous. So I finally get introduced and the first thing that come out of my mouth...

ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHA!

Can you belive that?!? Krystal was just saying how she had done that with her students. My first impression, "we don`t really say it like that" But what did I do????

Anyway the school seemed to accept my crude greeting (by local standards) and I was the casue for all the snickering, whispering, and giggling. Why do we teach our children that your first impression of soemthign different is ot to point and stare or giggle? Beats me...

Afterwards I was sent to the staff office where I usually just sit there and pretend to work on something because there is absolutely nothing to do. Good news is that I`m getting paid but teh bad news, I`m wasting my life away at a cold, confined desk. I guess teh VP saw me pretendingn and he came up to me and told me that if I wanted to go observe the other classes then it would be ok. SO I did.

Each class was pretty interesting, all of them unique in their own way. Every class had that one student who isn`t really paying attention and is totally day dreaming and he/she sees me standign in the doorway watching their class. This then starts a wave of whispering and then the whole class is staring at me with the teacher humbly saying "please come in". I declined all but one. The obe teacher I decided to go into was the one that could speak English well enoughf or me to build somewort of communication connection. SHe told the class about me and I started to get bombarded with questions. Whats your favorite food, animal, color, sprot, what are your hobbies, AM I SINGLE?? The most shocking of the questions asked by a fourth grade girl. I guess its a big thign here. The personal tour of the school kept me busy for about an hour.

So now I`m sitting at the computer writing while all the other teachers are doing their own thing which they are doing all the time anyway. Wow the start of a very new blog... can I update it you might ask? I hope so...

Break it DOWN!!