I have become what I (used to) hate

A music whore. More specifically, an indie music whore. I can't help it! It wasn't a choice, it's who I am. I was born this way. I am seriously seriously obsessed with music right now. I mean, I've always liked music (my 400 CDs can attest to that) but being in a band has opened this whole new world of appreciation for music. Now all I do is surf the net, check out new bands and wish I had enough money to d/l everything off iTunes. When the last school bell rings, I turn into the Pavlovian music dog and bound home. It's not like I feel like I'm a better person because of it--I'm not a music snob. I don't know why this is bothering me. Actually, I think it's the no-money-to-buy-this-music thing that bothers me the most.

I've dyed my hair jet black and have asymmetrical bangs. Does this make me a member of the Mop Top Hair Shop? GOD I hope not. I hate hipsters almost as much as I hate hippies. Smug muthafuckas.

Listening to: Well, yesterday it was Tegan & Sara, but the day before it was the Futureheads and the day before THAT it was the Bravery.
Reading: Nylon mag. weak. I can't wait for my Bust to get here!
Eating: some nasty brown bread I bought at the Japanese grocery store--smells faintly of paint thinner...I don't think imma eat the rest of it.
Sweating: up a storm.

Here's some pix of our show last friday.
There's more on the band page: www.upup-downdown.com
If you weren't there, you missed out!

me

hot shoes

hot boyfriend

hot band. jeff's hat (where did that come from?) increases our hotness quotient exponentially.

As promised...

a few pictures of our awesome dance at the Talent Show:


"Reach for the Stars"
(my complete outfit now on sale! any takers? c'mon...blue fanny pack? you know you could use that. no? what about the pants? c'mon, you know you secretly want the pants...)


small shot of big asses


up close & personal

you got SERVED!

So I'm making my lunch of instant ramen at school (pot noodles for u brits), when a teacher stops to make a comment. I was putting the soup powder in AFTER the noodles were done and he was all "I think you're supposed to put the soup powder in BEFORE you pour in boiling water" to me in Japanese. And I was all "That's not what the directions say" to him in English. And then I showed him the Japanese instructions, which clearly state to put the soup powder in AFTER pouring in the boiling water. And he was all "Oh my God! She can read Japanese! Wow!" to me in Japanese. And I was all "Yeah, take that, bitch." to him. In my head.

*in your face!* noodles and the book i can't seem to finish.

Weather: Cloudy and humid. My bitch ass boyfriend's sunning his white self in Okinawa right now. grrrrrr.
Reading: *sigh* Life, the Universe and Everything.
Listening to: DFA 1979's cover of some Bloc Party song. and DFA is SOOO much better.
Licking: the sweet tears of boredom from my cheeks.

Panic Disorder

Our Aobasai, or "Sports Day" was last Wednesday, June 1st, marking the first day of summer. Sports days are pretty popular in Japan. Students compete within their own grade, and each class competes against the other. There's the usual relay races, tug o' war and some sort of capture the flag thing. Then there's the 10 guys get down on their hands and knees and line up next to eachother while the lightest guy in the class runs on top of them. The line has to keep moving towards the finish line, so guys have to get up and go to the other end once the light guy has trampled their back. All these events are just lawsuits waiting to happen. Luckily, in Japan, there's the saying "Shoganai" which translates to "there's nothing you can do" or tough titties.
About 10 girls collapsed that day. They had fallen prey to hyperventilation or, according to a Japanese Teacher of English, (henceforth known as JTE), "Panic Disorder". Apparently they got SO EXCITED about sports day that they couldn't breathe. I don't know about you, but the mere thought of sports day makes me undulate with ecstacy. So I could totally and completely understand my girls' "Panic Disorder". One girl seriously seriously should have been sent to the emergency room. She was like, crying and kicking and breathing like it was her last breath ever. The school nurse took a towel and shoved it over her face all the while smiling and talking to some other teacher. I just stood there dumbfounded. Two thoughts entered my brain: 1) Japanese nurses suck and 2) Japanese girls are weak.

(note the hand and towel smothering the mouth)

I have never, in my life, encountered anyone who suffered from "Panic Disorder" (which, my JTE assures me, is an American phenomenon). The only thing that comes close is an asthma attack and in that case, all those students should have been given inhalers or whatever else you give someone who's having an asthma attack. That reminds me, the youngest daughter in the private lesson that I teach has asthma. She doesn't have an inhaler though, she has some sort of giant machine that you plug in and then put medicine into the mouthpiece and then you inhale.
Dude. Seriously. Welcome to the 21st century.

oops, forgot to do this:
reading: Life, the Universe and Everything. Still.
listening to: the Raveonettes
obsessed with: Love in a Trashcan by the Raveonettes and buying magazines. Dirty magazines.

and for the boys...

look what comes boxed in Japan!!!

addendum: This box is located in the neighboring teacher's room. I tried sneaking in and taking a covert picture, but the baseball coach was there and asked me why I was taking a picture of the printer box. He speaks English and he's young so I was like "What the hell, I'll tell ya." Ever since then, if he's around me, he'll occasionally say BJ and laugh. Good thing he's not at my school anymore. Sukebe.

the ME ME ME decade

So from recent observation, I've come to the conclusion that blogging's a pretty selfish phenomenon. I LURRRVE it!!!!!! I want to post everyday about nothing. Which also makes it a very boring phenomenon. I've clicked on the "next blog" button and clicked and clicked and clicked. Eh. (But check out my friends' pages. They're so cool.) To compensate for the rest of the blogging world's un-cool-ness, I've decided to make my blog cool with entertaining pictures, mostly from Japan. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, I get to write less and you get more. Everyone wins! Yay for ME! I am so smart. I am so smart. S-M-R-T. I mean, S-M-A-R-T.



Yes ladies (and gentlemen), that's no typo...that's a Hot Man Dog.