Wed. Dec. 24, 1:06 a.m.

Well, it's Xmas Eve and I'm still a bit sad about the e-mail events of the night before but the heat is gone. But I have come to some conclusions about my future. In the meantime, though, I've made the adjustments again to the restaurant reservations, and I'll be seated at the bar for dinner. The ROTI owner was the one who called me up to confirm and he says that the bar will be more comfortable for a party of one. I think what he means is that it would be more convenient for larger parties.

It would seem that I've got the medical version of the Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse. I've got that lingering cold, a stiff neck, a sore left foot and two cold sores inside my right cheek and on my tongue which made my dinner with the Iconoclast an unnecessary adventure, especially when the bill of fare was Mexican. Being a national holiday, the current Emperor's birthday meant that the crowds were out in force for shopping or eating. The Iconoclast and I lined up for dinner but the line shrank surprisingly fast so we got our table in rather short order. The ingesting of the food was, as I had mentioned, a bit of an ordeal, but the conversation was stimulating. He even lent me a book, THE DARWIN AWARDS, about some poor idiotic saps making the headlines due to some unquestionably stupid stunts. All of the award winners are given their distinction posthumously.

I've got another package on the way...this time from one of my Monday regulars. I really appreciate that Yamato Delivery toll-free re-delivery setup service.

Well, today, I've got another party to go to out in Nakano which will be handled by Movie Buddy. It won't be a huge thing which will suit me just fine since I hate large affairs. I still have to get the exchange gift.

Tuesday Dec. 23, 1:21 a.m.

Well, I thought I was going to start this entry with the statement that I had a very pleasant day and evening today. And for the most part, it was. My two classes went smoothly, my reunion with my Canadian friend was very good, and introducing the Iconoclast to him was a remarkable success since both are in the engineering field. Plus, I got to meet a few more nice people that my friend knew.

Yes, I thought that this would result in a happy entry into my blog. But true to my luck and true to the luck of Nero and Pastriche from The Dog of Flanders, two separate but connected e-letters blew all that into confetti. I had planned a Xmas dinner with the Madam on the 25th which would've been very stylish. It was to take place at a nice American brasserie in the heart of trendy Roppongi and would've featured good wine along with the usual turkey and all the trimmings. Then, the Madam kinda surprised me by inviting another former student about whom I had doubts whether she really liked me or not. Well, that was fine I thought. I did mention to the Madam that if she wanted to invite someone, she would be free to do so...I just didn't expect THAT student. In any case, I confirmed the reservations for 3 people.

Then, just a few minutes ago, I got broadsided twice. First, the Madam sends me a message stating that she has to pull out because of an illness in her family. And then in the same incoming batch, her buddy sends me an e-mail for the first time telling me that she has to pull out because she has to work until 9 on the 25th (in Japan, Xmas Day is just like Halloween, it's a festival but not a statutory holiday). I'm sorry...I'm fairly sure that the Madam is on the level, but I smell a female rat with her buddy. But what could I do? I just sent some polite responses of understanding to them. I'm still going to the restaurant regardless since I do want my turkey, but boy, life royally sucks! I know that this will probably be an isolated incident, but right now I just feel like such a patsy. I sometimes wonder if I get too close to these students...

Mon. Dec. 22, 7:55 a.m.

The final day of work for me before I go into the Holidays. I checked out on my Excel about my expenditures for the past week. Not so bad on the food, but I comparatively broke the bank in my miscellaneous stuff. And I have to get a couple of more presents by today. I hope I can somehow ensure some discipline in my spendings this week, although having dinners virtually every night this week will pretty much make that impossible.

I have my first outing of the week tonight with a friend of mine from Toronto who's here on holidays. Why he would come HERE for Xmas is beyond me but I figure it's more for the girlfriend than anything else. Actually, he just called right now. I'll also be meeting him for lunch after my first class, which consists of the two students whose party I had to ditch back on Friday night. I hope the hostess isn't too sore.

I also spoke with GD, an old friend of mine who's living close to Osaka. He used to make a yearly Xmas pilgrimage to Tokyo, but in the last couple of years he's made himself scarce from this neck of the woods. The timing is interesting; he came until just before I hooked with my former girlfriend. He did crash at my place for New Year's last year but I was back in Toronto at the time, and we only managed to cross paths for a grand total of 5 minutes before he had to head back home. However, he'll be keeping it close to his town this year. I can't say that I'm all that disappointed, though. I could use the time to really clean up the apartment. After watching a program last night about how negligent we really are in cleaning, I'm pretty much convinced that my apartment is a haven for mites and ticks.

Speaking of tiny critters, Shelob, my resident Daddy Long Legs is still alive and crawling on the ceiling of my shower. It is the perfect pet; I don't have to feed him or do anything with him, and he only moves when I take a shower. If only more animals were that independent, although cats come close.

Sunday Dec. 21, 12:50 a.m.

Christmas is in the air mostly because there is a good measure of ice in that air. That combined with a good stiff wind made things quite Brrrrr-worthy tonight. I guess it was timely that the Winter Solstice is indeed upon us. And in a weird meterological development, most of Japan has been sprinkled or dumped with snow, except for Tokyo thanks to some well-placed mountains. I never would imagine that a hardened Canadian like myself would actually shiver today here, but I did.

My long day started with one of my last classes before going on Holiday break. It was the one kid (her sister was off doing a Xmas concert). She was OK but her delivery was still as slow as molasses. I had better luck with her mother who took over for her younger daughter. We did a Japan Times article about English and Japanese proverbs which greatly struck her fancy. It really helps when you hit the target once in a while.

Then, it was off to Shinjuku to meet Movie Buddy and his houseguest from his native Australia. We were planning to catch that leather/werewolves/vampires flick, UNDERWORLD, but all of us needed lunch so we first went to a ramen joint in the side streets, called Kumamoto Ramen. We clambered up the tiny stairs just 2 cm away from the customers sitting at the 1st floor counter and then, at Movie Buddy's suggestion, we ordered the TA-RO ramen. It certainly satisfied our hunger...as MB stated, it's a bowl of some tougher-than-usual noodles with some fatty beef and lots of cabbage in what is basically melted pork fat. I think it explained why we really never got hungry for the rest of the day.

Afterwards, we went to the ticket discount shop to get the tickets for Underworld, only to discover that the last performance was last night. Now having two extra hours of nothing, we just hit a coffee shop for an hour before we did another hour of browsing at the nearby Kinokuniya bookstore and then several minutes of going through an adjoining DVD/manga shop. The highlight there was the playing of a hilarious parody CG version of a ski jump competition. The Russian pair did Cossack kicks, the African pair threw their skis into their mouths and waved them around...you get the idea.

After that, we took a little tour of the notorious Kabukicho, the area that has often frightened a lot of Tokyoites with its red-light shops and underworld activity. Well, we did a quick jaunt, nothing too deep, mind you, and certainly the red light shops were there. I also saw one large black car with tinted windows which I'm sure was the property of a yakuza, but we all came to the conclusion that Kabukicho, at least at 6 p.m., is nothing compared to Sydney's Kings Crossing or even the Jane-Finch intersection in Toronto, let alone some of the dangerous neighbourhoods in New York or LA.

Then, after a short pit stop playing target shooting games in a game centre on the edge of Kabukicho, we decided it was time to start the drinking portion of our odyssey through Shinjuku. It was dark, and the neon lights were out. The cold also made it rather imperative that we find a bar. We went first to the Hub, a generic pub chain. It had the decor and the ambience of CHEERS but also with the Shinjuku Station traffic jam crowds. We asked if we could get a table but the young lad told us that we would have to go to the counter and hope that we could get a seat. Well, after one round of drinks, it was pretty evident that we weren't going to get our wish, so we left.

We then proceeded to the CLUBHOUSE, southeast of the HUB. It is an Aussie pub and sure enough, the final game of the Rugby World Cup was playing on multiple screens. We faced the same dilemma that we did at the Hub...that there were no seats available. However, the waitress was more apologetic and promised us that when a table opened up, we would get priority. I felt a bit badly for the waitress since I kinda gave her a resigned look after the treatment we got at the Hub, especially since she eventually fulfilledher promise an hour and a half later. During that time, we just sipped our drinks and chatted while catching some of the England/Australia game.

Finally, we got our table after the large party of young folks left. And after 6 hours of not eating due to the ramen, we were still not all that hungry but we felt that it was time to put something into our bellies. So we went for fish n' chips, buffalo wings, squid rings and popcorn shrimp. Yes, I do realize that this was a lot but we were not going to waste an opportunity to try some of the excellent fare. Certainly, though, we were risking the Ring of Fire with the spiciness of the food. However, what affected us more was the actual heat of the dishes themselves. My two Aussie companions were doing some major huffing and puffing after throwing a few fries in their mouths, but since mymouth seems to be lined with asbestos, I was fine.

During our conversation at the table, one topic came up which could define my time here thus far and my time for the rest of my life. Movie Buddy pointed out that being an English teacher in this country was a dead-end job: no hopes for promotion or big money. And once the teacher returned to the home country, he would be starting from ground zero. As reluctant as I was to hear this news, he did have a point and I now wonder if I have sealed my fate here after nearly a decade in Tokyo. I think I could certainly eke out a living back in Toronto as a teacher but I'm not sure if I would ever have the same level of satisfaction.

Well, at 10:30, it was time to head home. My clothes had an olfactory record of everything we did today. But I was glad that I had the extra sweater on as it was very cold. I had to do the usual wading through the Shinjuku Station masses to get my ticket. But I did manage to get onto the packed Yamanote Line to head for Takadanobaba Station and the Tozai Line for home. I also had a stiff neck. It was ironic that I was reading a massage book at Kinokuniya so I can try to knead out the kinks.

Sure enough, the Yamanote Line was announcing several delays on the JR lines due to various accidents and snow. And on the Tozai line, there were the usual exhausted travelers and two young punks with a drunk female companion. First, they sidled her up next to my seat by the door which worried me a bit since the female companion could potentially spew at any minute. Then, to add insult to injury, they were able to get seats right beside me. Luckily, everything went peacefully. In fact, I was able to get a well-needed nap before I got off.

Well, now my entire week is filled with events, since Movie Buddy will be coming over on Boxing Day to watch some DVDs with me at my home. We may even have the first nabe of the season. As for tomorrow, or later today, I've got some oranges coming in from my friend in Shizuoka, perfect for my cold. And finally, I'm gonna take a shower to get rid of the smells of the city.

Thurs. Dec. 18, 11:19 p.m.

I got my New Year's cards done today. Over here, I have to write both Xmas cards for the folks back at home and the New Year's cards for the folks here, including relatives I now never see. It's always a bit more difficult writing the latter since my kanji ability is so limited, and I can't seem to write straight up and down. My script always seems to take a diagonal direction which annoys me and probably my relatives. Also I have to write down some pithy statement of good wishes for the new year. Luckily, I've got a book which gives some sample statements that I can readily u se.

I had my buffet with The Iconoclast at the Hilton today. For some reason, the cake buffet didn't hit me as well as it had the first two times I went. The cakes seemed a bit too sweet, which is really saying something from a guy who has a sweet tooth.

It looks like I'll be pulling out of the party tomorrow at my student's place. I'm not feeling all that well, and besides, I'd just end up looking goofy by myself. I cannot schmooze to save my life, and since I don't have anyone to come as my date, there really is no one to talk to. One other student and her daughter will be coming, but I remember the first time I went there. One former student and her daughter were there, and although I could talk with them for a little bit, both they and I kinda just sat there for 2 hours feeling uncomfortable. As much as I don't want to disappoint the hostess, to just be a cigar store Indian in the middle of a house for a few hours is something I want even less.

Thurs. Dec. 18, 8:28 a.m.

I'd thought about hitting the hay a bit early last night since I was feeling somewhat under the weather. However, I ended up going to bed a couple of hours later than scheduled since an old friend of mine had an emergency request for some proofreading. As it is, I'm not doing so bad right now, and I managed to get some Xmas wrapping done as well.

Looks like the "Be Kind to English Teachers Week" is continuing. I received a Starbucks card from my Wednesday night. I seem to be spending my days in Starbucks.

Today, I have to head on out to get a number of things done, notably add to my wardrobe. I need a pair of black shoes and a trenc hcoat, possibly for the big Xmas party tomorrow, most definitely for the Xmas dinner next week. Then, I'll be meeting my friend for a bit of that cake buffet at the Hilton. Now, that the Farm Grill will soon be a fond memory, the Hilton may have to become my default place for tons of food.

Tues. Dec. 16, 11:49 p.m.

The days leading up to the Holidays can be very rewarding ones for an English teacher like myself. Today, I got treated to a nice lunch at a fairly swanky Japanese restaurant in the Makuhari Messe convention area, thanks to my Tuesday morning regulars. I had myself some of that great Hakkaisan sake. My ears were glowing but the sake is so smooth but that was about the extent of my inebriation.

After a few hours of respite, I went off for my final round of classes at the juku before the Holidays. They all went pretty well, and I got surprised when my first two students presented me with a bottle of...Hakkaisan. It isn't as big as the huge magnum of the stuff that I got from the president of a major printing company over a year ago, but I'm still not complaining.

Mind you, I felt rather out of it physically tonight. I may be coming down with a cold. Unfortunately, the very chilly air outside didn't help matters. Well, I have to catch up on those New Year's cards as well as get back on track with sending out the calendars to the folks back at home.

Mon. Dec. 15, 11:24 p.m.

The world's most famous imprisoned dictator is playing true to form and being a "wiseass" in front of his captors. And CNN will be there!

It was a good enough day for me. My rich students spoke a bit about the big Xmas party on Friday. I'm still not sure whether I'll go or not though one of the students told me that her daughter was looking forward to meeting me. If I do go, I'll have to pick up a new pair of shoes and a good trench coat.

I met up with the friend who had stood me up at Shibuya Station on Friday after my class. He apologized and admitted it was a boneheaded move to keep me hanging there. That was good enough for me. I took him out to VOLKS, Tokyo's premier steakhouse chain in Shibuya, at least until the OUTBACK arrived here a couple of years ago. After lunch, I just showed him the RAMEN YOKOCHO in Dogenzaka since he may try to go there with his girlfriend and other friend later on this week. When we parted at Shibuya Station, I offered in a further move to show that the events of Friday night were forgotten to show them around, but I got the impression that that would be the last time I would see him in Japan. Fine with me.

Being payday, I was still surprised that I made a s much as I did. That certainly prompted me to splurge a bit more on a Pet Shop Boys CD and even the Dummies Guide to Jazz. Now that I've been interested in the genre for the past few years, I decided to delve further into the written history. Certainly the title is rather befitting for me.

I had my regular class with the folks at my friend's company. Looks like things are starting to gel a bit more, though the president wasn't there due to other matters, and it looks like he won't be attending class for the rest of the year. Afterwards, my friend and I went to another decent Chinese restaurant nearby the company. My friend seems to have the greatest knowledge of Chinese eateries in the Shinjuku area of anyone that I've ever met. We also had a good talk on philosophy, something I rarely do.

Checking my e-mail, I actually received a rare message from my former full-time bosses asking me if I would be willing to teach a JICA class on Fridays. Hearing about the curriculum for the students and the fact that the students have had a reputation of being somewhat holier-than-thou made the decision quite eary for me.

I also received a message from Dory, one of my students. I had invited her to the Xmas dinner on the 25th. She politely declined due to lack of funds, but that got me thinking about something. I had initially invited The Madam for dinner in a gesture of perhaps a semi-date. Now it was my fault that I left the caveat with her that she could invite anyone she would like to bring. It was also my fault to make the reservations for two before finding out that she had invited one other friend of hers, another former student whom I'm not sure about. I think that perhaps we don't get along, and the paranoid part of me wonders if The Madam had invited her because of some mistrust of me. If that is indeed the case, I will feel hurt..no matter how much the rational side of me understands her reasons for doing so.

Well, tomorrow I have another Xmas party, this time with my Tuesday morning folks. We're going in a bit of style by going to a hotel for a nice lunch. Then, it'll be my last class with the juku folks for 2003.

I

Sunday Dec. 14, 11:09 p.m.

Well, it looks like the US just got an early Xmas present and a huge boost to the forces since President Bush pulled off his surprise Thanksgiving visit. Hussein has finally been nabbed. I'm sure there is much rejoicing in the streets of Iraq and America, but this will probably won't stem the flow of attacks. In fact, I think there will be an increase in retaliation. But it's a big surprise that the big guy got caught alive if bedraggled.

My weekend was a fairly eventful one. I met up with my brother at the hotel for some breakfast on Saturday morning. I was OK with it, but he was far less impressed with it considering the price and the variety. I can't say that I blame him since the Canadian variety is probably a lot huger.

Then, it was off back to my neck of the woods to attend my juku's Xmas party which was basically for the kids. I met the one other veteran teacher who was responsible for all of the kids, and at one point, she was asking (pleading?) if I would take a few of them off her hands. I of course, mentioned that I was busy with other classes. There is NO way that I'll take any more kids. Just wearing the Santa suit and playing Bingo and cards with them were enough to wear me out.

I headed back to Shinagawa and met up with my brother once more at the hotel for a short while to rest up before we took off for the Ginza area. He asked a few questions about the area and took some snaps with his digital camera. Our timing was good since things went dark and the lights of the Ginza were on full power. We also searched for puff pastries in a forlorn hope for him to take some back to the home country. But one woman at the hotel bakery informed us that they wouldn't last the plane ride back.

For dinner, we ended up at the Farm Grill where I was given a huge bombshell. The buffet place that I had been haunting for the past 8 years, the place where I had to get my roast chicken and waffles, the place where I would get my students to attend for welcome parties, is closing its doors for the last time on New Year's Eve. To be honest, I couldn't be that surprised to see it go. In this city, where 90% of restaurants just struggle to make it through the first half-decade, the Farm Grill was a minor miracle. With the stuff they offered, it was a miracle that they could stay afloat for a s long as they have. And to be blunt, their best stuff started faltering over the past couple of years. However, it will be a shame to see it go. I enjoyed the privilege of being able to lounge around the Grill sipping coffee with friends, and perhaps I may get one more shot at it before the end of the year. Long live the Farm Grill!

After the dinner, the two of us just took a look around the Shiodome complex before we headed back to the hotel. I crashed there for the night and then had one more breakfast with him at Anna Miller's (notorious for their short-skirted waitresses, but Hooter's it ain't) in the morning before I took off for Shinjuku. I hope he was able to carry all those presents for the family.

I met up with The Madam and the Ballerina at the movie theater. Our numbers were unexpectedly smaller due to a cold which knocked out three other of our movie buddies. The movie of choice today was FINDING NEMO which had just started on the 6th. I must admit that I found NEMO a bit overrated. I didn't think the writing was all that sharp except ina few parts, and as one critic put it, the neurotic Marlin schtick wore out its welcome pretty quickly. Once again, the usual Japanese viewing experience of muteness was at hand which possibly influenced my opinion of the film. However, the visual effects were truly amazing in that I didn't even notice them; they were that advanced.

Afterwards, the three of us went to a nice little izakaya for a couple of hours of chat and eat. Then, the Ballerina had to take off for home, but since The Madam always likes a post-dinner coffee, the two of us searched for a cafe. Starbucks was not surprisingly packed to the gills, but we did find a smoke-infused little hole-in-the-wall on the 2nd floor of the MY CITY complex in Shinjuku Station. Among the stuff we talked about was the Ballerina's behaviour at last week's Xmas party. Her second farewell party is slated for the 27th, and the Madam is the organizer for that one. I decided to let her know about being careful with the Ballerina in terms of her love of drink since I just want to make sure that things go smoothly at the party and that perhaps some sort of backup will be in place if things don't.

Well, back to work tomorrow. However, I am meeting that friend who stood me up for 2.5 hours on Friday to give him his tickets. I'm willing to forget about what happened since he is sorry about it, but geez, I'm gonna hate those first few minutes of discomfort.

Friday Dec. 12, 11:28 p.m.

Well, I guess I'm supposed to deserve one annoyance a week. Last week, it was that drunken student. Now this week, it was a friend of mine who came over from Canada tonight. He basically stood me up at Shibuya Station for 2.5 hours thus ruining my evening which would have consisted of meeting Chip Guy for a nice steak dinner at the Outback. Instead, after my long wait at the ticket gates, I just stomped on home and had a half-can of Pringles Sour Cream & Onion...perfect for my mood. I realize that his plane was probably delayed or that he got stuck going through Immigration and Customs because of the heightened security at the airports this week, but checking my phone messages, he just asked me to stay there, and that he would get to the gates by 9 p.m. at the latest. Well, I ended up staying until 9:35...no sign of him. I got home and found out that there was an additional message from him stating that he felt that it was too late to come down and that I should call him for a re-meet. All I will do is let him sweat. I have his concert tickets for which he owes me 22,500 yen. If he really wants them, he'll have to be on his hands and knees.

Now that I've got that off my chest, I have to hit the hay within the next thirty minutes because I'll be heading out the door in 8 hours to meet my brother for breakfast in Shinagawa, and then I have to head over to a Xmas party in Urayasu which I really don't want to attend, and then I'm back with my brother fo r dinner. I'll get a chance to crash in his suite before I head on out on Sunday for another round of Movie Buddy-ism.

Thursday Dec. 11, 11:29 a.m.

I received a call from Movie Buddy. We haven't talked in a few weeks due to various things: he was off in Okinawa for a week, I've hardly been at the school, etc. So we had a good talk while I was lounging in my futon. Up until a few weeks ago, I had been out of the house at the crack of dawn to take care of the oil company class but since it's all over, I can actually sleep until whenever I want to get up. We just did the usual chat on movies and analyzed MATRIX REVOLUTIONS to death. We both agreed that there won't or shouldn't be a 4th one.

We also had a talk on the upcoming Xmas party he's holding on the 24th. It looks like things are further gelling on the social calendar. In that week, I've got three outings, the Xmas Eve do, the Xmas date with The Madam and then a farewell part y for the Ballerina planned by The Madam on the 27th. Considering that I've put myself on holidays for the last two weeks, it'll be a good drain on my account, but I figure if I'm going to spend my hard-easrned yen on something, it might as well be with good friends.

Not that week is going to be a social desert either. I'll be meeting with Chip Guy and another friend from Canada tomorrow night for dinner. In fact, Friday will be a very full day. I've got to get my hair cut in the morning, then meet Movie Buddy for lunch and have my regular Friday lesson before I head out for dinner. Then, the next day will be busy with my brother for breakfast and dinner. Plus, I've got a wedge of time in which I have to attend my juku's Xmas party with me as Kris Kringle once again. And then Sunday will be the final Movie Buddy outing of the year with me catching NEMO with The Madam and a few others.

However, one thing did get knocked off my schedule. I was supposed to have met The Iconoclast for a cake buffet today at the Hilton but it looks like there will be a party at the Marble Lounge, so we've agreed to put it off until the 18th. Which means that I'm here at the homestead today. Not a bad thing considering tomorrow's full schedule. However, there's a slight chance that my brother may call up with the opportunity for dinner. Most likely, his minders will be taking him out for dinner. Might as well just enjoy the day and catch up on some crosswords and DS9 DVDs.

Wed. Dec. 10, 12:06 a.m.

Sure feels like a Toronto winter night out there. Threw on the full scarf, sweater and jacket fos the walk to the juku.

Looks like my services for restaurants have come into play once more. The Madam is having some trouble looking for a venue for a farewell party for one of her old classmates. Could be a bit tough finding a place during peak party time on the 27th. We may have to use all of our resources: the Net, friends and magazines.

My brother called to say that he probably won't be available for the weeknights since some of the local brass here wants to take him out for dinner. Ah, well. It is a business trip after all. However, Saturday is still open. And in any case, I still plan to meet up with Chip Guy and one other on Friday.

Looks like Koizumi has pulled the trigger and decided to send the troops to Iraq. Although the mission is a humanitarian one, there are the twin points that Iraq is a maelstrom of violence and the Constitution's Article 7. There was a full court press with all of the major TV stations giving live coverage of the press conference. There will be a maelstrom of debate in the coming days. And that isn't all. As soon as the announcement was made, the government went on high terrorist alert by throwing a huge security blanket over Narita and Haneda airports. I can only hope that nothing comes out of this. Bin Laden has already pinpointed Japan as an enemy state.

Monday Dec. 8, 11:48 p.m.

Whew! Just got through an unusually high amount of useful mail. Instead of the usual paltry 10% of the good stuff, my ratio was up to 25% tonight.

Much of the mail dealt with filling up the month's social calendar. I have another dinner tacked on for the 27th, my Xmas dinner with the Madam has been confirmed, and it looks like I'll be meeting my brother at least once later this week. He arrived in Japan for the first time in 21 years on a business trip. So after work, I raced down to the rejuvenated hotel district of Shinagawa and picked him up from the Pacific Meridian and took him out for some tonkatsu. He looked appropriately bleary-eyed since like me, he can never sleep on planes. And he had a 13-hour flight. We did the usual talk about home, family and friends. It's ironic that he's staying in Shinagawa since on his last trip as a kid a couple of decades previously, he just stayed at the Takanawa Prince Hotel, just up the street. If everything goes well, I'll meet up with him again later in the week with Chip Guy for dinner and perhaps a little tour of the town. I've also got another friend coming in on Friday so we could all be linking up on the weekend.

The day consisted of two lessons. My rich students were fine as usual. I was even introduced to the newest member of the family for one of them...a large Golden Retriever puppy. In between lessons, I did some more shopping...calendars of course. Then, I went to my friend's company for their class. Unfortunately, I got snogged into another tense interpretation session between my friend and his president. This was absolutely not what I wanted before a class. Basically, my friend has decided to chuck his life and job in Japan since he's basically had enough of the system here. Hey, if one is miserable, why continue the misery? His boss was still trying to convince him otherwise til the bitter end, but it looks like it's a done deal.

Thankfully, tomorrow will be a virtually free day outside of the regular Tuesday night stint at the juku, so at least I can relax a bit after an all-day session today.

Saturday Dec. 6, 11:41 p.m.

The annual Xmas party was pretty much a carbon copy of last year's fest in terms of structure: we had the main party, karaoke, dinner (or some semblance of it) at an izakaya, followed by coffee. Also, as usual, the party venue was once again the atypically classy joint across from the school, and the party itself had the games, music and me in my Santa outfit. And to top it all off, once again, myclothes smell of a tobacco fire.

And also to repeat one other bit of unpleasantness that could have been avoided, one of our students, now graduated, imbibed a bit too much and ended up having a major hangover which resulted in three students having to come to her assistance. Once again, she started wailing away wondering how this could happen to her again. I dunno, I thought while she was splayed on the floor covered in coats to battle the decrease in temperature due to alcohol. I might be seen here as being very callous, but I'm reminded of the "Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice, shame on you" proverb, and the ingrained cultural trait here of not being a burden on other people. This was the third time she's gone off the deep end, though. And I'm thinking why she can't control herself. She's an intelligent and ambitious lady with a bright future ahead of her, but she can't control her alcohol. While she wailing away like a banshee, I felt like chastising her for all the little good it would have done. However, her three classmates kept comforting her, so I really couldn't do anything. On the other hand, I didn't really pick up a finger to help her out...she made her bed, she should lie in it.

Friday Dec. 5, 10:54 p.m.

Well, I stupidly broke my own rule of ensuring that I'm in good shape to teach class today. I had a major case of the sniffles, but instead of picking up some medicine along the way to my lesson, I decided to skip it, thinking that I was running late. As it happened, I got there several minutes before my student showed up, and my nose was running like a faucet all class. I really have to smarten up one of these days.

My attack was bad enough that I decided to skip my little jaunt to the conveyor belt sushi place at my station. I thought it wouldn't be too good to be among people dripping nasal fluid all over the counter, so instead I picked up that cold medicine and just called in a pizza while catching up on 24.

Should be pleasant tomorrow with that first Xmas party. It'll be another long day of carousing. And it looks like I have a date with the Madam on Xmas Day for a turkey dinner somewhere in Tokyo. I just have to find the place. That should be the easy part; the difficult part will be ensuring a reservation. There'll probably be a ton of depressed North Americans looking for comfort food on the 25th.

Thursday Dec. 4, 11:24 a.m.

I've been doing a bit of savoring. Back in the summer at a wedding for one of our graduates, I came across a former colleague who along with one other veteran teacher had jumped ship a few months earlier to teach at a boys' high school. He spoke of how much better the money and the schedule were over there and encouraged me to do the same. Knowing my feelings for the upper echelons of my school's staff, I entertained the thought for just a few seconds; I don't particularly like kids, especially most teens but I did wonder about how one would be treated and the money that could be made.

Well, the other day I spoke with one of our current teachers who is also assigned to this school; apparently, the high school continues to maintain a contract with us despite two former teachers permanently assigned there. She informed me that she had to endure interview tests with verbally abusive boys. She also told me that that one other teacher who had jumped ship with the former colleague at the wedding was now considering his options about other work. And as for that colleague...well, apparently, he's just going through the motions at the school. He just lets the junior chinpira run amok in the blackboard jungle while he makes the money. After hearing this little account, I'm just thinking I'm glad that I stuck to my guns.

It's a good day today...bright if cool. I'll get some Xmas stuff out of the way. write up some cards and then get them out to Canada and Stateside by tomorrow. And see how many of those DVDs I can race through in a day.

Wed. Dec. 3, 9:17 p.m.

Just one class today but I was out for most of the day. The daylong sojourn was sparked by my need to pay off some bills at the UFJ at the next station. Then, I went over to the Farm Grill for my monthly lunch there. On the buffet table, there were the remains...and I do mean remains...of that inexcerable stuffing that's served on Thanksgiving and Xmas. Almost like a warning label, there was a sign in Japanese which read that the stuff was made from turkey livers and hearts. Geez, I wonder if it is a Scottish recipe...the only thing that platter was missing was the sheep's stomach to complete the haggis.

After my usual 90-minute lunch there, I went out to do a bit of window shopping at the nearest CD stores before trying to get some gift calendars at ITO-YA, the big stationery shop in the Ginza, notable for the big red paper clip which stands over the awning. When it comes to gifts for friends and family, I go practical and cheap...give the gift of calendars, the gift that keeps on giving for 12 months. Unfortunately, when I saw a lineup rivaling that for a blockbuster movie just to get into the elevator, I decided to put my Xmas shopping on hold.

I did my walk around the Hibiya area via the Imperial Hotel before hitting the Starbucks where I usually teach my student somewhat early. The seasonal songs were playing there; I must have heard three different versions of Chestnuts Roasting Over An Open Fire over the 3 hours I was there, and none of them were the Nat King Cole version which was somewhat surprising. I'm just glad that the place was willing to play Xmas jazz. At the CD shops, I listened briefly to techno versions of the Yuletide faves before my eyes rolled into the back of my head.

Getting home, I also got another sign that the end of the year is nigh. Fuji-TV was showing its annual FNS music festival...basically a lineup of all of the big singers over the past year. When I came in, the show was replaying the big singers of the 80s festivals. Watching these idol singers, I had to knock myself in the head and wonder what I was thinking when I first fell for J-Pop.

I also wonder if I'm beginning to show signs of becoming a bitter grump. I think I was a bit snippy to Chip Guy and Movie Buddy about a couple of questions, and frankly, I don't regret it. I'm afraid I might be ending up like one of our past teachers at the main school. He was this burnt out tall tale teller (otherwise known as a sociopathic liar) who had finally had enough of a decade of Japan and shambled home.

Well, anyways, tomorrow is an off day so I will try to catch up on those DVDs and tapes, and just try to keep my sanity until the annual Xmas party rolls around on Saturday.

Wednesday Dec. 3, 12:17 a.m.

A nice long day thanks to my Tsudanuma ladies in the morning, my lone class at the main school in the afternoon and then my series of classes at the juku this evening...all of them replete with their own characteristics and atmosphere.

Speaking of mynight classes, I have picked a new one up at the juku starting from January with a very low student. It took a bit of negotiation with the boss, but everything turned out OK.

Looks like my social calendar has been filling up nicely. I may have as many as 8 parties to go to before the year is up. So much for being lonely at Xmas time.

My recent musical acquisition is a CD by a domestic artist by the name of Sheena Ringo, a young lady who has in her brief time on the stage become well known as a very untypical singer in a world of prefab pretty boys, pretty girls and very little talent spread among them. Sheena is quite pretty but she has talent and range. One of the reasons that I like her stuff is that has dove into genres as far ranging as jazz, swing, rock and Latin. Also her voice is pretty distinctive, swooping from aerie-high nasal shrieks to more dulcet tones, and she has a tendency to trill her R's on a par with the most Scottish of Scotsmen. What I was surprised about is that it seems her fame has gone beyond the borders of Japan, and into countries such as Germany. Her videos are also quite catchy in that she takes on a different persona in each one...the most notorious being that of a lesbian nurse with slutty red lipstick. Her latest video features her in all of her past personae almost as if she's giving a retrospective of her career. Hopefully, that doesn't mean that she's hanging up her guitar although I do know that she now has a kid of her own.

Monday Dec. 1, 10:34 p.m.

It was a dreary beginning to the month. For the first time in recent memory, it just steadily rained all day and night. At least on some days, there was a bit of a respite but not this time. I had to put my umbrella every time I went outside. I rather wondered if Ridley Scott had jumped forward in time from the late 80s over to now to get his vision for Dark Rain. The work wasn't too rigorous today; just my regular Monday morning class with my Shoto students and then it was the company class later on.

In between , I started getting some of my Xmas shopping done, almost all o f which involved getting Xmas cards and New Year's cards. The Xmas cards I'll have to get out within a week if I'm to get them over to North America in time. The New Year's cards should be ready to get out by the 15th. I've had to write some pithy sentiments in past years for the New Year's cards but luckily I bought the ones that have been pre-written. Still, the kanji for those addresses will be challenging enough.

After my class with the company folks, I had dinner with the guy who had first introduced me to the president and got me the gig. It looks like, as I had thought, he's gonna pull the trigger on his departure although he hasn't told the president yet. I feel sorry for both of them, but I think my friend shouldn't have to remain in an untenable situation no matter who's in the wrong here. I just wonder what my status will be once he leaves. Luckily, I may have avoided another stint in the crossfire since I have to see my brother right after class next week, and there's no way I'm gonna mediate things before class.

Well, tomorrow should be a bit fuller with my Tuesday morning class in Tsudanuma and then one last stint with the main school kids for the year followed by my regular Tuesday night classes at the juku.

Looks like I've inherited a new house guest outside of the usual mosquitoes of summer and the odd cockroach. My new roommate is a daddy long legs spider which has set up residence in the ceiling corner above the bathtub. It's a bit disconcerting having it hang around while I take a shower even though I know that DLLs aren't poisonous. I guess fragments of my former arachnophobia as a kid still remain within me.

Monday Dec. 1, 7:27 a.m.

It's a very typically Vancouver-ish December morning. It's overcast and slightly wet outside. That typhoon is just brushing past outside. I don't think we'll be getting any direct effects from it but there should be some intense bursts of rain this morning.

Apparently, all of the main TV channels will be going onto terrestrial digital broadcasting as of 11 a.m. today to link up with its satellite broadcasting. It just adds one more step to media interactivity. It's supposed to be hitting just the three major cities of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya for now. The NHK website didn't mention if every TV set will be getting this new service but I don't really see how any of my remote controls will be able to access it at this point.

It should be another quiet week and probably quiet month. I'm relatively busy today and Tuesday but I've got only singles on Wednesday and Friday with an empty day on Thursday. However, I believe my social calendar is starting to fill up with all sorts of outings or parties. Just another December in the big city.