[ALSO] I hate WalMart. Even from across the sea. [AND] on this evening's run I saw a bunch of sweaty, panting, seat-clenching, heavily exercising unicyclists. It was unique.

Wow, so it's National Novel Writing Month and I have yet to find time to start my potentially epic feat of literary genius. Not that I've been overly busy; just the normal stuff, but I've been away from my computer for most of it. I'm off to a good start! Best way to kick it off? BLOGGING.

I haven't posted any pictures lately so I thought I'd do that. They are both from my mobile phone; one's a testament to the warm relationship my coworkers and I share; when they heard of my near-deportation two weeks ago they started a fund for my leaving party. So far it's garnered about eighty yen and some pocket lint. I also got a free dinner out of the deal. I am going to throw one hell of a bash. The other is a photo from the front of the Keio line today as I was traveling homeward toward what can only be called 3:30 p.m. pre-twilight. Actually I love travelling in the first car and watching the track unfold in front of me. It's like being on the Oregon Trail, in a way, except by Oregon I mean Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area and by Trail I mean Railway. But that pioneering spirit is still strong even if the resemblance is strained.

Today a couple friends and I went to one of our student's Jr. High school festivals. We watched her chick band perform some jpop and then saw her school's award-winning dance team. It was actually really great; the school is weathy and private so they were able to go all out. I particularly enjoyed having to wear slippers indoors (carrying shoes in a plastic bag) and getting to meet all of her myriad Jr. High School friends. Apparently she's a closet-english-speaker (she's fifteen and really high level), so it was a suprise for many of her friends to see her with a train of foreigners in tow. In conclusion and summary, a cute day.