Well, there ain't much going on in tinseltown. And when I say not much, I mean not much. Schools are done, I am trying to save money for a certain couple's visit in May, and I'm in that sort of limbo period when it's too early to get ready to move but not so early as to allow you to settle in and buy that new lamp you've been wanting. And no, I don't have my eye on a new lamp. Just a figure of speech....That I just made up.
Anyway, blah blah, kencho, home, kencho, home. Come about the middle of April I will be quite happy to be getting back into my schools. I honestly have no idea how these people here can come here every day and not go nuts. Or maybe they are and I just can't understand them. Or maybe it wouldn't be as dull if I had some work to do and could speak to those around me. Or maybe it's one of the differences between me and those who are able to work in offices day after day. I don't know. But hell, it's quite tough coming to work and having nothing to do other than things you find to do. I read, I write, I look at the clock, I stare at my fingernails. I'm not one of those people who gets bored easily. Really, I'm not. But day after day of this is getting to me. I used to think that if I ever got arrested for some heinous crime and put into solitary I'd be able to handle it, but now I am not so sure. But then again, perhaps solitary would be better than the kencho.
Yeah, I agree. Enough dramatics.

Ok, so life is good (don't read the above). Amy's back from Aloha-land where she apparently was given the gift of illness from her father. She had a good time, but they both had their off days. Not good when you only have five or six days in some kind of paradise. But I think overall it went well.
She brought me back a new video game which has reminded me that I missed my calling in life--racecar driving--for which I can blame my parents, as we all know that racecar drivers begin at the age of six or eight and move up from there. They also tend to have parents who are willing to give up dinners so that they can fund their little star though all his car repairs and hospital visits. Unfortunately for me, my parents ended up having another son who ended up eating us out of any possibility of me getting to realize my dream. And if you don't believe me here's a little story.
Dad, mom, Rigel and I were in Indianapolis, home of the world famous (why are things in America always world famous?--you think they've heard of Earl's World Famous Fried Chicken in Japan?) anyway, home of the world famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. So we went to the track and talked to some guys and one of them even agreed to take us around the track in his van. We also visited the museum there at the speedway and it was then that I said to myself, "Hmmm....perhaps I'll give up that lofty dream of taking over the family business and dive into motor racing." This decision based not only on my new dream but also on the fact that we had no family business.
So with my new career pathed outlined in my head, we left the speedway and headed back to our hotel in downtown Indy. Along the way Rigel's stomach was growling which only served to remind me of engine noises, but which to Rigel himself meant a very different thing. He was hungry. So we got to our hotel where dad decided to splurge on dinner and told us that we were going to the restaurant at the top of the hotel. I remember mom saying, "Danny, can we afford that?" to which dad said, "Of course. The boys don't each much and we can split something." Mom and dad were always splitting things.
So up we go in the elevator, all the way to the top. It was a nice place where the food smelled good, the waiter brought us our menus, and the tables had cloths on them. I think we even had two or three forks from which to choose. As we opened our menus, though, I distinctly noticed my father let out a little gasp at the prices. But I didn't say anything. This was a family vacation of which dad could be proud. His eldest son had found his calling in life and now he wanted to celebrate with a nice dinner.
The waiter came back a few minutes later asking us if we were ready to order. So I went first and ordered a club sandwich. "Not too expensive," I thought visualizing myself going down the straightaway at 200mph. Then dad ordered a modest plate of pasta with a small salad. "So far, so good," I thought. But then came Rigel. Now, keep in mind that Rigel is a young boy here cause he didn't. He proceeded to order oysters on the half shell for his appetizer (a dish none of us knew he liked) and then went on to order a bowl of soup, a steak dinner, and some kind of dessert which by this time I was too distraught to notice. In all, his meal cost more than what the rest of us had ordered...put together. In fact, mom, believing that Rigel would never be able to eat everything he had ordered, decided not to order anything and just to help him. But as the dinner wore on, mom was going hungry. In fact, the little pig ended up eating part of my sandwich when I decided I'd had enough.
So there you are. My racing career went down the esophagus of my brother. Mom and dad couldn't afford my racing and I have forever, since then, been searching for something else to do.
Now, how did I get into all that.....Oh yes, Amy got me that game. Good stuff. Good thing she's not having to feed my brother.
Oh, and the above, while true as I remember it, may exist in a different version in the heads of my family. But rest assured, what you are reading here is the correct version.

Oh, I forgot, something is happening today. It is office rotation today here at the kencho. You might remember this game from last year. Apparently, some bigwig in an office with a view takes the names of all the people who have been in their current departments for more than a year, makes name cards of them all, and then throws them all up in the air. Depending on where your name lands is where you are placed. Last year my supervisor went to the tourism department and Ono-san went to some department at a branch over in another town.
So today the cards landed and eight people from this department will be leaving. I have no idea where they are going but if I am correct, and I think I am, that leaves only one guy who will remain in this department that was here when I got here. Does that make me number two in command? Cause if so, I'm taking the rest of the month off.
But anyway, the guy that is staying is none other than my supervisor, Watanabe-san. He's a nice guy; doesn't talk to me much, but he doesn't bother me either, so I can't complain.
Tomorrow night we have a small party for the five of us that I used to refer to as the "private schools division," but have since learned that I was mistaken about that. For, the whole office is the shigaku bunshoka (not sure if I've written that right but it means 'private schools division') meaning that I have no idea what the five of us really are, no idea why we are a little separated from the bigger group. I've tried asking but to no avail. The five of us have gone out for small "parties" about three or four times.
Anyway, one of us is leaving and we will have a going away party for him. Then, next week, we have a bigger going away party for the whole office. Then, the week after that, we have a welcome party for all those who come in to fill the empty seats. Meanwhile, during all this shifting and moving, I just sit here at my desk reading and writing and wondering what's going on around me. Have you ever watched a movie and wondered "Now, what happened there? Did I miss something? Who is he? And why is she angry at him?" Well, that's a frequent feeling over here. I see things going on, but I have no idea why they are happening or even if I am understanding them at all. This is where a nice bottle of sake helps. Thus, those parties are good.
I think I'll try asking again about the five of us and why we have little parties without the bigger group. Now it's bugging me again.