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