Hello from an all-to-busy staff room at 7:45 am...

I work now at the high school, whose name translates to "Bellflower Commercial High School." It's a lot breezier and windier than the school in the flatlands below our apartment. Let's see... We will visit Hiroshima this weekend and a few out of the way places on rented bikes. I'm pretty excited about it. Expect the full report later on, before the time you read the letter if I am on top of things.

As of today the school where my pal teaches art is still being used as a clean-up/rescue area for the horrific Amagasaki train that wrecked down the block. The busy train route is enterening day three of no service.

For some clippings, check out www.yahoo.com and click on Asia news.
Pretty sad and totally avoidable story. The engineer was a rookie, like 23 and had several problems like overshooting stops in the past, but before we hang em high let's wait to see some other undetermined factors which remain unreported be sorted out fully. For the 73 victims however, It is a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Train company officials of course are to blame in that they need to better train and supervise engineers, for in this case the driver was executing poor judgment and heaps of people paid the price for it. But I hate scapegoats except in cases where I could personally profit.

I am writing my first short fiction piece. The plot is, simply anyway that there is a hedgehog, let's call him Stuart, who eats people embroiled in pork barrel construction projects and then the said alligator becomes a larger metaphor for all the world's ills. This, in 2000 words or less. It's for this magazine of varying quality in Tokyo. Prize is 80 bucks, and may be good book material. Would you want to read it? Be diplomatic in your answer.

As it turns out I was just making that up. Who would pay a 20 spot for something like that?
Well, ever been to Borders?

I took the State Department's Foreign Service written exam again on April 23. It was much easier this time around. In July, when test results are sent out, maybe Providence will smile upon me and boost me onto the Federal payroll. Apparently all the languages I have half-learned to speak are a big bonus.

These days, however Arabic is in big demand as Bush is undoubtedly readying the Calvary for an ill-advised invasion of Iran. this came from the mouth of one of the test proctors, whose pheremones were less than about mating and totally pinning on creepy. remember that guy from Terminator two? The one who assumes the form of whatever he knocks off? This guy looked a bit like him.

Well I hope you are enjoying my discombobulated musings. Expect more of this in the future.

Nayr76

A sense of place: My habitat experience People often identify with their dwelling as a sense of place, comfort and essentially, identity. He dare and his large family of 7 wonderful children soon shall have something to be proud of: safe, adequate organized and proper housing. Despite he and his wife working long hours, a good place to hang their hat together as a family unit had eluded them. While we did assist with a lot of the labor, it was his daughter's courage to get her parents to accept candidacy as a Habitat homeowner that got the ball rolling, and they deserve the chance, maybe as much as anyone. While it would be presumptuous to assume pride and take significant credit for the nearly complete house, all 14 team members from across the JET spectrum did as much as they could to help the cause. Several members used up all their remaining paid leave, others sent in significant amounts of hard-earned funds, vital for sending more Japan-based teams to places in need. All of us should feel a great accomplishment, and be humble at the same time. He dari's struggle continues, but I feel we all helped a bit, more so the Kuching-based volunteers, to at least make the burden for him lighter. The time we spent sweltering and dripping in the hot, unforgiving Malaysian sun will always be a fond memory. We should feel lucky that such an environment can easily be changed by hopping a plane and whooshing away to points we ourselves determine. I certainly enjoyed my first HH build, and I plan on participating in more. Thanks for the others on the team that helped with their humor, support and all else, company. Sweat equity as a principal is a well thought out way to really assist the marginalized folks around the world, eh?

Please let me begin by beggin your, my loyal readership, pardon by my absence of several months. A lot has happened so let me first skim the surface.

I am still "teaching" though this gravy train is getting a little tiresome. I need to better ajust myself to a method mixing acceptance of my fate and somehow at the same climb out of the pit of career-less ness I have cast myself into.

Words of encourgement, free business class upgrades, manufacturers' coupons, cash money and offers of employment are most welcome and undoubtedly appreciated.

I embarked upon a culinary magic carpet ride that is Borneo in late march, and overall I am planning to get back there. I have to bea realistic and admit I have other place to see for the first time but if I had to choose to be sent to say, Borneo over, erm, anywhere in the so-called Axis of Evil I certainly wouldn't be an unhappy punter. Although, I have heard gossip that those Yemenites make a mean maitai.

Fruits, or glorious fruits: My favorite Borneo tasties were Jackfruit as well as the snake fruit, which honestly resembles a hand grenade than a snake. And then I ate my first custard apple, which was better than the breakfast I puked up all over the ferry on my honeymoon. No, my sea legs aren't steady as she goes.

I've decided to enroll in an online travel writing class, so I will post my creations here, so you can all sit back and after reading them you can promptly thank yourselves that you have:

A: a car or at worst, a bicycle
B: made some progress on an early retirement.
C: more than 20 days paid leave

A short note on the latest from the Japanese media: There was this show I watched last week that highlights odd news from the dangerous non-Japanese sphere. The host travelled to South Carolina to gamble on cow bingo. The short version: Pay five dollars for a spot on the grid, and if a cow craps on your grip, you hit paydirt. Odd? Well yes, but according to talkshow pundits here, this poo gambling can be found occuring in every town, berg and shire across the lower 48. Aren't generalizations great?

Will get some more stuff up later this week.
PS the new backpacking stove passed its first test by successfully boiling its first beer brats.