Mindy-loo? Mindy-luurve!

Well...not shove it.  You can set it aside gently.  But...move it away from my personal space.

Erm.

So it's my last week as an ALT.  I have two days left in the Jr. HS.  Friday I go to an elementary school.  After that...I'm no longer an ALT.  I'm still on contract until August 15th though.  But I'll only have a handful of classes in that time.  I might have a lesson a day.  So far it looks like 1 hour a day (except fot the days I'll be out of town) teaching a 14 year-old boy who is going to Ohio in September with his family (I'm guessing his dad works for Honda).  

Anyhoo...in my next two days, I have FOUR lessons with QT sensei.  Hazzah!

Then a party on Friday night with the other English teachers at my company (not the teachers at my school...does that make sense?) and some friends/former students (from adult classes, NOT JrHS students).  

Next weekend, I'm heading up to Shibukawa to hang out with Annie and stare at people's bellybuttons.  Then out to Saitama to see Sanrio Puroland (again...ahem.)

Then I have a TOKIO concert in Sendai with Lisa.  Hope to meet up with Medders and maybe Bethany while I'm out there.

In August I have a trip to Shizuoka for fangirly-fun-and-games with several friends who I have not seen nearly often enough.

Later on, I'm heading out on the road with a sassy young miss, who has never been on a roadtrip without her family before.  At our destination, we shall meet up with several other companions and see K8.  My last weekend in Japan is a K8 concert.  How perfect is that?

Then a quick run back to Tochigi to empty my bank account, do one last load of laundry and get on a bus to Narita airport.  I'm flying to Sanfrasico first to visit with a friend who helped me get my plane tickets.  (I'm paying for my trip home with Arashi tickets.  THAT, like nothing else ever has, convinces me that there is some order in the universe.)  Then I'm back to Canadia on the 31st or 1st.

I go back to school on the 2nd.




I still need to clean out my apartment.  Send stuff home.  Pack.  Send more stuff home.  Throw more stuff out.  No lose my mind(y).

Yeah.

That's my summer so far.

How are you guys doing?

From: Dinosaur Comics

My decision has been made.

I will be going back to Canada in August.

My parents are thrilled.

My boss has left it open for me, if I want to stay.  But I think I’m ready to go home. 

There are so many things I love in this country.  But it’s time to go home.

Why do I feel like I’ve failed, somehow?

Oy, winter.  

You may have noticed that I've posted a few  snow pictures recently.  It snows.  I take a picture.

We don't usually get snow in Tochigi.

So when it snowed a couple weeks ago, I was surprised and delighted.  However, it melted before I could play in it.  This was very disappointing.

Then it snowed on a Sunday!  There was enough for snowmen and angels the kids in the house accross the street from me made a quinzee.  Awesome!  I played in the snow.  I enjoyed the novelty of seeing snow again.

Then I got really cold.  So I went back into my apartment, which was also really cold.  Because all apartments in Japan are really cold.  

It was then that I decided that I was officiall 'over' winter.  

Thanks, winter.  That was really pretty and fun.  Now shuffle your chilly ass back to antarctica or something.  The penguins need to march.  Please send spring and the cherry blossoms and the cherry blossom parties.

It is snowing again today.

WTH?  In 2004 we had ONE snowfall.  In 2005 we had ONE snowfall. In 2007 we had ZERO snowfalls.  Now we had THREE! I am sincerely unimpressed.  And worried about driving to my night class. *glares at the weather*

Niki is to blame for this.  *blames*

I blame Lisa!  And Cat!! *blames*

Here are the pictures I took at Mitei Ichi on Sunday.  

 I went to see Mitei Ichi on Sunday.

And now I remember why I don't write show reports anymore.  They take for blood ever!!!

Ah well.  As usual, I cannot guarantee the order of events.  I can barely guarantee that I actually went to the show.  But whatevs.  Here you go.

After the show, I met up with my friend Annie.  No, not that Annie.  Another one.  We went book shopping and had dinner.  I bought some books to help me study Japanese.  Or at least to make me look like I’m studying Japanese.  We had pizza and then went for cake.  I caught my train back to Ishibashi and drove home.  I was tucked into bed by 11:30.  A full day out in Tokyo, a show, and still in bed before midnight.  Altogether, an awesome day!