So this was one crrrrraazzaaay week.  It started with all of my students, the sophmores, running this week.  That's not so crazy is it.  Don't be dissappointed already, you are only 3 sentences into the posting.  Give it a chance.  The fact that we started running at 6:45 in the AM of the coldest month of the year is crazy!!  And nobody was complainin bout bein there.  If that were in America every kid would be crabbin bout something.  That is of course, if they even showed up. 

 

Then Monday night I went to the English club of the University in my town.  The guy who heads it is a British teacher.  There were about 9 of us at his house.  We were the only 2 guys.  Normally, you would think that University's club would be students, but more than half of the club was older women, rangin from 35 to 60 or so.  First hour was normal and fine, sippin a little tea, crunchin on some little snacky snacks, a lil-bit-O English, and a little bitta Japanese.  But then the professor left and I was left with the ladies.  Usually not a bad thing, but then they got all excited and brought out their kimonos.  So for the next hour I got to watch a fashion show of kimonos.  You are probably askin yourself, what a goofball Matt is, why didn't he just leave.  "Why didn't I leave....."  Ummmm, I had no car and had no clue where the crap I was. 

 

And yesterday, I decided it was haircut day.  So I ventured off to da barber.  It all started good, I pointed at the picture of the way I wanted the back of my hair.  Then he pointed to the top of my hair and said a bunch of stuff, all I heard were the words "cut" and "same." So I gave him the head nod and go ahead figuring he would cut it the same style.  I wasn't really paying attention, but like 20 minutes later he asked me if it was ok, and I said yes, since I couldn't see without my glasses and usually a haircut for me takes about 15-20 minutes. 

 

Then he asked me I wanted a shave.  And I was feelin pretty shnazzy, so I went for it.  Never had had a shave at a barber.  Wow, that's kinda scary when you gotta guy with a razor blade to your jugular and you can hardly speak to him.  So after I survived the ninja shave, they sent me to the next chair and started massaging my head.  I believe they pulled the ninja chop massage move on my shoulders.  I am not sure though, I was just in marvel at what was happening.  Then they turned the water on for a little shampoo action, and they looked at me and said please go ahead.  I was thinkin, "aren't you spose to turn the chair around and bring the back of the chair back."  But nope, you just dive straight in there like you are bobbin for apples.  Nothing like gettin a haircut, a shave, massage, and a chance to bob for apples for 1800 yen (bout 16 bucks).

 

But when I got home, I realized they hadn't cut the top of my hair at all! Luckily it was kinda short anyways.  So it just looks half way goofy.

 

Then today, we did the normal with a 6:45 run.  And I was just kinda hangin out after I was done teachin.  I finished at 10:15.  At 1:30 some of the sophmore teachers started changin and I just kinda played it off.  But soon they were all gone, so I had to find out what was goin on.  And when I got outside, there was a huge event goin on.  All of the students were getting ready for a marathon race.  They ran a 6 man, maybe 8 mile total race.  Race took bout an hour for the first team to a 1 and a half till the last team finished.  But it took up my whole afternoon and I got to eat some soup with chopsticks after it all.  But I still have to ask, who makes the kids run in the coldest month of the year!

 

If you are still readin at this point, I applaud and thank you.  If you feel the tingle in your fingers, go ahead and leave a comment.  And if you need incentive to write, your posting will be read by people in at least 2 countries.....guaranteed!