Fukuoka Avast

Well, an interesting and eventful weekend to say the least. Back in Niimi and looking forward to Friday night and a late sleep-in Saturday morning in order to recover from the weeekend past. Saturday alcohol consumption started at 7:45 (I had originally intended to wait until 8, but what the hell, I already had it in my hand) and lead to numerous bathroom breaks on our behalf. We had by far the most enthusiastic car load of passengers, even before popping tops on the bevvies. We had ET experiences, high tension (by the J語 definition of the phrase) and lots of laughs to go along with.

The afternoon plans were a visit to an aquarium, and then a very large mall, followed by dinner with all 17 of us. After dinner, I bolted off to hunt down Katherine and Miho, neither of whom I have seen in ages, for a brief rendezvous before they had to head back to Yanagawa on the last train. The following morning was surprisingly hangover free, but full of much indecision at Dazaifutenmangu shrine when I tried to get a firm time from Kuma on departure so that I could once again meet up with K-chan and Miho. We strolled around the grounds about, but I don't think I feel any smarter than I did before.

Afterwards, venturing into Kurume for some delicious ramen at a very smelly shop (and not in a good way) and then a flirtation with bird flu as we wandered through a 鳥公園 to kill time. Sleeping in the car was lovely if not too brief, and the return trip took far too long as people dawdled about after bathroom breaks. Returning to Niimi at 9, but not getting home till later was a little rough as I had yet to sort out my supplies for Monday's classes. Blame it on the birds, an unscheduled diversion from the itinerary intended merely to kill time. Hmmm, all in all it was alright, but mostly it was just good to hang out with some interesting people.

Too Busy

But not in a bad way. It seems I have been too busy living and enjoying my life lately to spend time writing about it -- a process made all the more difficult when you consider that I exist without internet at home. So what's been up lately? My days have been filled with curry parties, mexican food, tequila, skiing, badminton, volleyball, leisurely breakfasts with friends, The Wyrd sisters, dinner with Hiro, quality time with Cian and Pete, Pete's birthday/sayonara party, 英会話, school, sunshine, car washing, speeding tickets, good books, a little bit of study, jogging, phone calls, flirtations and useless conversations, pick-ups in front of local grocery stores, magic card tricks, dice tricks, and lots of laughter. Sorry to keep anyone in suspense over that, but should I ever hook up, I'll try and do better to keep up.

Nabe Party Extraordinaire

Yes, Friday night, I had a nabe party for 6 in my lovely little living room. Elly and Noriyuki made the trek from Tottori City, and Datte, Kishi and Kuma made up the local colour.

It all started 3 weeks ago at the takoyaki party when a consensus of drunkards decided that I should hostess the next party, and it would be nabe. I foolishly said yes, or some slurred version of yes, forgetting that despite the delicious simplicity of nabe, I don't really remember or know what it takes to make nabe. Recall my first ever nabe party in J-land...

Having invited over all the kids in my county, and a little farther down the train line, I purchased a wide assortment of veggies and meat, the required burner and pot and got sorted to have a party. Only to have Henley ask, where's the sauce or flavouring. With a blank stare, I asked, what on earth are you on about. Apparently it takes more than just plain water to successfully navigate the world of nabe.

And so, Friday afternoon I called Elly from the supermarket, saying that although I know nabe is a very random and easy meal, I am not entirely sure what I should be doing or buying or trying not to poison people with. And Elly, well, Elly nodded and smiled -- rather, did the verbal equivalent of it -- and hung up on me. I get that a lot, both in person and on the phone.

I managed to buy a variety of foods, which ended being too much in the end, but was certainly better than running short in the middle of the feast. And I got the beer right. The beer was no problem, but the wine did turn out to be one. Definitely unwise to play a drinking game with wine. But that's for later.

Guests arrived and assessed that I was in a weirder and giddier mood than normal, which lead to much laughter and an agreement amongst everyone that the craziness runs through the women in my family. Sorry mom, but Elly saw the canned ham and when I told her where it came from she cried from laughing so hard. Which lead to me having to explain it again later after everyone had arrived, and minor convulsions from Elly again.

Datte and Kishi were both partaking of the beerage, whilst Kuma chan stuck to tea -- which I have no doubt ended up working out in his favour come Saturday morning as he kept losing in the card games, while I was hungover as all get out from chugging wine. Second time I have done this, and have yet to achieve favourable results. The beer probably helped Kishi and Datte not go into shock when Elly got going. Invariably the conversation turned to sex, which is entertaining but shocking for a bunch of boys who have never met her before. Me, well I have had 5 years plus to adjust. And they have no idea how restrained Elly really was, which made it so much more entertaining for me. Conversation delved into love hotels, homosexuality, marriage, finding poor Kuma-chan a wife (I swear, everytime I have been out with Datte and Kishi the conversation has turned to poor Kuma-chan's inability to find a wife, regardless of whether or not he is there. You have to wonder what they are going to do for conversation should he ever marry.), and other reasonably tame, although still nonetheless shocking to the unindoctrinated.

Devolving into drinking games at Elly's suggestion, we taught everyone how to play shithead, and much like in August when Elly suggested it then, Elly proceeded to lose. And I, I once again won without having to take a single sip. However this was before we ventured on to daifugou, which is a lot like Big 2. Shit. Never again. And poor Kuma-chan who, in lieu of drinking, was made to perform a variety of songs, dances and stripteases, all the while wearing my leopard print cowboy hat. I have some very charming photos.

Fortunately the boys all took pity on me and went home around one, as there was no way I was going to last longer than that, or it could have been due to them all having to work Saturday morning at 8:30. Either way, definitely a good thing they left when they did as all that wine -- once again, I chugged nearly an entire bottle in the space of an hour -- hit very quickly after that. Fortunately nothing was going to dampen my mood; or at least not until I tried to get up Saturday morning and I deperately wished my head and I could experience a temporary separation...

I am still alive though, and with plenty of laughing memories and blurry photos of Friday to last to the next party.

Hanging with Cheap Haji

Hanging with cheap Haji in the Hagi on the beach,
Mowing down on natsumikan soft cream in the heat,
The Ell's'appelles and I regretting looking washed out from bleach.
Stealing cheap Haji's shoes, and burning what I can,
It's no wonder my new misnomer suggests a pyromaniacs leanings,
As dirty t-shirts, lacquered chopsticks and unclean cutting boards entered into the breach.
"Buurrrrrrn!" "Burrrrn!" said with a Scottish burr and a J-land lilt,
While I couldn't help laughing halfway through, "Burrrghhahaahaaaha!"
After consuming the wine, the gin, I ventured forth into Irn-Brew!
That's right, I have discover the secret recipe for Irn-Brew, or at least the adult version.
Take one bottle of Finlandia cranberry vodka and mix generously with Mitsuya cider.
The sugar and teeth rotting nature is lacking, however the general essence is there,
And now the most popular drink in Scotland can be reproduced anywhere
(In the confines of Japan that Mitsuya cider is sold, or where a fair likeness).
5 hours cycling around in the sun were we the clever ones,
Proven the next day by the redness of our arms and soreness of our bums.
Definitely an experience of the "deserves to be repeated" sort.

(Poetry is so completely not my bag... My apologies to those for whom it is.)

Peace, Pink, and Quiet

Friday, my sayonaras said to my last departing parent, I resumed my secret life as a rock star. After making a few purchases of outrageous sunglasses and scarves, painting my nails a harlot's red, polishing up my ass kicking black leather lace-up boots, donning the fuzzy leopard print hat, painting the scarlet lips, as well as the aforementioned scarf and sunglasses, I headed out on the town to have my way with the world, or at least kick it to the curbside should it decide to stand against me, and knock a few people on their asses on the way. An excellent night out was had despite the lack of rock star antics, but that was made up for with the fawning adoration I received from some of my fans (for lack of a better word).

Saturday and Sunday were spent out in the pink, and Saturday under the yellow haze that happened to fly in from China for the day. During the stroll about town, amidst many encounters with neighbours and students, I also managed to run into some friends who were rather far afield compared to their usual haunts. Under the full on blooming glory of the sakura and wandering amidst the crazy 一式飾 sculptures of Hoshoji, laughs were had by the dozen as I attempted to convince a variety of townsfolks that no, Pete is not my boyfriend. Those efforts all fell to naught when a student saw me chastely kiss Pete goodbye -- the rumours I shall have to counter tomorrow... I am thinking that perhaps I shall just run with it and boldly claim he is, as well as Michael, the rather Elvis-looking Frenchman who was also out that day with his girlfriend, as well as a few others maybe... Cian? Ted? Who knows where the trail of broken hearts shall end. I blame it on the boots.

Saturday night, I thoroughly enjoyed the reclaimed quiet of my apartment. Putting on some mellow music (Jane Siberry, Paul Ubana Jones, Norah Jones), I opened the windows to spill the music into the garden where, illuminated by Christmas lights and a dozen or so candles, I sketched the garden, read some poetry and relaxed with the gin in my own private 花見 celebration. Ferlinghetti can be fabulous.