July 4th-8th (Thurs-Mon) - Happy Birthday America, or It’s Tanabata Again

Thursday: was a long day.

Friday: I took a much-needed morning walk, and it would have been more refreshing but for the slug-like remains of frogs strewn over the street. I do not know if the frogs engaged in mass-migration from one tanbo to another and were waylaid by a crowd of stomping children, or if the crows and other creatures feasting on the frogs are picky and messy eaters.

Classes went fine. At the UFO Meeting we had to film the commercial. I hadn’t really been aware I would be in it — and even if they had implied that (which they really hadn’t), nobody told me it was on Friday (until Hugh did). But I was at least mostly presentable, and did my 2-sec appearance.
2 commercials — my life as a film star is underway.

To continue my food diary — these candies are pretty (but not really tasty).

And this is black-sugar anpan. Yum.

This evening Kaori came over and we practiced dance. It was super hot. But after she left I practiced some more dance. And was super hot. Hot hot.

Saturday: Again, it was hot. I made it through my classes (even enjoyed myself a little in the afternoon ones), and that evening went to Kaori’s for Zumba!!! Then we watched a movie and ate chips.

Sunday: Just Kaori and I today. First we met for exercise. Slash running, enter Zumba. Much more fun. And a better workout. We also did yoga but didn’t have time for Taichi, because we had to get to the D-1 Dance Competition in Fukui. We were there supporting our shakai dance classmates, who were performing (I mean, competing), but it was actually really fun. They were the only ballroom dance, then there was 1 ballet group, 1 traditional-dance group, 1 cheer group, 2 hula groups,

2 jazz-jazz groups, 3 belly dancing groups, and a ton of hip-hop and jazz-pop groups.

It was super fun, there were some fun dances, but there were also some pretty bad ones.
The judge was brutally honest and said he didn’t didn’t think anyone was particularly good, and of my 3 favorite dances, 1 (jazz) won the competition, and another (bellydance) the Orihime award (since it IS Tanabata).

Speaking on Tanabata, yeah, this is my second Tanabata in Japan, and I totally wrote a wish and hung it on the bamboo bush-thing.

Oh, the judge also performed a short number, as he is Samurai Hammer, I guess famous during the 80s/90s. He was good. Realllllly good.

We went to a cafe for dinner, then chatted for a while and called it a night. Also Casey installed a new router so my internet may be better (not sure yet though).

Monday: I tried to kill myself. Several times.

I had a nice TKD class. But it was hot. I was sweating hard even though I didn’t move that much. I learned the rest of my pattern though!!!

So up to this point I’m ok. But then, I feel guilty for not having practiced my patterns in weeks (since I can’t really in my apartment), so I go over to use one of the classrooms and practice for an hour. It was a great work out. But did I mention it was hot?
Then I also played around with dance stuff and handstands and tricks and things so I can impress kids if I get a chance. I held a handstand for like 2.5 seconds. Yeah.
But you know, it’s hot. My clothing couldn’t get any wetter.

After lunch I packed up the koto (you know, it’s hot outside too), and drove to my lesson with Mrs. Miwa. You know, it’s hot outside.

It was fun! We played koto for a while, I learned the notation for staccato notes and a couple other tricks, and I only had to stretch my legs once during that part of the lesson. But it was hot.

Then she took me through the whole tea ceremony — I mean, the real whole thing this time, from the whole how to open the door (right hand, 5cm; right hand, halfway; left hand, all the way) to how to walk across the room when entering (right foot crossing the lines) and exiting (left foot). It’s super detailed, like a TKD pattern — hold your hand this far from your body, at this angle, use this hand, then this hand, in this way, turn this only this much, etc. Except that it’s all done in seiza.
All of it.
And I stayed there. Without stretching out.
For too long.
Don’t do it, I don’t advise it. I almost twisted an ankle trying to stand up because my right foot had no feeling (uncontrollable), and I kept almost tripping because I would catch my toes on the floor. I’m not the most graceful of people but this was pretty bad. And then I had to drive home and my right leg didn’t work properly, I can tell you that’s dangerous!!
From now on I will not try to gaman-shite through more than 15-20 minutes of seiza.

I ate this maccha latte-ice thing. It has azuki (red beans) in it too.

It was actually really tasty. And cold. Because, you know, it’s hot. Hot. Hot. And what am I doing on the computer? It’s hot too. Goodnight.

Recent Japanese:
sukuu = to scoop or ladle
koseiteki = unique (personality; individualistic)
shibou = fat/gristle
kafun = pollen
yamabuki = kerria (flower); light golden yellow (color)
tome = what they call the pin on a fan