Winter has finally relinquished its hold upon japan, and the denizens of this island nihon must now submit to spring's reign. thank goodness. Even with my 3 week intermission back home, the last month seemed interminable. The past week has been on the cold side of mild, however, and my two attempts to wear short sleeves outside must be regarded as a failed experiment, as temperatures in the upper forties (balmy relative to the last three months) have been exacerbated by a ferocious easterly wind. At their worst, the gales turn bike-riding into a cardio-vascular adventure. Even so, i have a big reason to smile. I got digital satellite TV last sunday.
While getting re-acclimated to 60-plus channels certainly isn't difficult or unpleasant, it only reminds me how nice cable is back home. A good example is the international version of ESPN. No major league baseball, tape-delayed hockey once or twice a week, and a crappy international version of Sportscenter with decidedly unhumorous British anchors. I wouldn't mind endless coverage of cricket and ballerina ball (i think the limeys call it "football") if i could just hear "he put the biscuit in the basket" or "from way downtown...bang" every once in a while. Then i would know all is right with the world.
My personal collection of passive media just got a shot in the arm this weekend, as i got my order from amazon.com delivered Saturday. On the top of my viewing list is Krzysztof Kieslowski's _Decalogue_, a series of ten short films, each based on a Commandment. Having viewed the first and second, i can already say i've spend my discretionary income wisely. Kieslowski has such a great command of the miraculous and the tragic; more importantly, he conveys with immaculate precision how little difference there is between the two. While Tarkovsky uses the camera like a microscope, training it on his subjects with an almost painful intensity (i'm not sure i've seen another director who has demanded and received so much from his actors; every glance, every hesitation speaks more about his characters than an hour of dialogue), Kieslowski has a broader focus, characterizing his players more by their reactions to each other and by the things they say to each other.
This week the new school year begins. I'm looking forward to teaching again, if only to alleviate the boredom of the last two weeks. That's not to say work has been all that bad, it's just that doing nothing is much more exciting with an audience of pre to mid-pubescents from an alien culture. The new younger teachers at the Junior High seem very friendly and personable and, unfortunately, very much like Junior High teachers. Their tastes favor the corporate-sponsored rebellion, the tepid revolution. I'm not expecting to find any fellow metalheads or Johnny Cash fans in the ranks of my co-workers, but at least my former sempai, who has changed schools, had a taste for hip-hop and soul, not the Carpenters. Other than that, they seem like good people.
My attempt at purchasing a car before my mother and sister arrive has apparently fallen by the board, which pretty much sucks ass. A car is the last piece of puzzle for me. Oh well, at least it looks like i'll be able pick one up towards the end of summer. *knocks on wood* Another plot development in my life that i've left undiscussed is my decision to renew with the JET program and stay until the middle of July 2002. While probably not a surprise for most of y'all, my rationale is that i haven't learned nearly enough of the language or culture to leave after one year. And, despite my small apartment and my backwoods town, i truly do enjoy life here. Sometimes the challenges and stereotypes are hard to overcome, but i feel strongly that happiness is a lifestyle choice, something that has to be cultivated and savored. Sure, some moments may find me more able to deal an unexpected fork in the road than others, but i can't help being struck by the thought of how lucky i am to be able to enjoy all this, to breathe air that ain't been breathed before.
been listening to: Johnny Cash, the Old 97's, Amorphis, At the Gates, Jake Mandell, Opeth, Dark Tranquility