Paper beats Rock: How We Lost the Softball Game

the thing i'm starting to hate about blogging is that i spend all my time thinking, "wow, i have to write about this!" and "oh, this story would be a good one for the blog." then, when i finally have a chance to get on the computer, i've forgotten all of my wonderful tales and i'm stuck writing about the fact that i've forgotten all of my wonderful tales!

well, some fun things happened. friday night was the softball tournament. only two women's teams competed and it was a 50-minute game. when time was called, the score was 7-7. what to do?! someone needed to be declared the winner -- they had trophies and certificates and asahi beer for prizes to give away, after all! well, if you know anything about the japanese decision-making process, you know what happened. yes, that's right. JANKEN! rock, paper, scissors and BAM! we lost the game. i did walk away with 3 cans of asahi, so i really shouldn't complain.

on saturday, i went to visit the home of a colleague. she and her husband and daughter live with his parents and run the buddhist temple in their village. my colleague wasn't the one who invited me, though. i had met her mother-in-law at a party and, for some reason, she really liked me. at the party, she gave me her number (as so many random strangers do!) and told me that i had to come out to visit sometime. the school dietician was invited, as well, and we went together.

as much as i'd like to tell you all about the temple and buddhism and the family's long history as temple caretakers, i just can't. i spent most of the day playing games with the 3-year daughter of my colleague and trying hard not to stare at the father-in-law's head. (it was shaved and he had a kind of hearing aid in his ear, with a wire and disc attached to the side of his head. i have no idea how it was attached, but i could only imagine that it was screwed into his skull. it was very disturbing and fascinating and it's probably best that i didn't ask about it.)

two former students (now at uni in kansai) came for a visit on sunday. we didn't do too much in the way of touristy things. mostly, we just chatted and they caught me up on how all the other classmates are doing. we watched a lot of olympic coverage and they helped me with my japanese homework. in the evenings, we barbecued on my veranda and tried not to burn everything. it was great fun in the countryside! i saw them off on tuesday and we made plans to meet again in osaka.

today, the neighbor boys/brothers came by. they always come by. this is how they visit:

1. ride bicycle to amy's house
2. screech brakes (loudly) next to screen door
3. call out "aaaaaaa-my!"
4. stand right at the door, noses pressed to screen
5. wait for me to come out

or

1. ride bicycle to amy's house
2. park bicycle in front of back door
3. ring doorbell and hide behind door
4. wait for me to swing open the door, thus sending their bikes crashing to the ground and leaving their noses a little flatter than before

sometimes i pretend like i don't hear them. usually, though, i go out and have a little chat. i might give them some candy or race them on my bike or catch frogs with them.

today, the youngest brother came by alone. he's eight and really adorable but also terribly annoying. he likes to play with all the crazy magnets i keep on the door. for some reason, today he grabbed the gecko magnet and pretended it was "alive" by running the gecko all over my arms... then face... then chest! i don't think he yet knows that breasts are not playthings.

or, has he just learned that breasts are indeed playthings?

i'm going to need a flak jacket soon, i think.