The JET re-contracting meeting was the other day. Basically they sit all the JETs in a room and let them air their problems (ie. bitch fest), strongly suggest that we wait until the deadline until we decide (gotta brave that bitchin' winter before you can stay another year) and give us various tips on avoiding the wintery months ahead (e.g. avoid depression and heavy drinking by drinking... in moderation). It sounded fairly boring when I first heard about it, but thanks in part to a good group of people and excellent CIRs, the meeting was fun and informative.

I learned things like:
-Winter is going to make me want to cry
-Bubble wrap those damn windows to create the *illusion* of insulation
-You can buy chemical pads and apply them to different areas to prevent frozen digits
-Complicated ways to conduct heat in my apartment using tubing and one small heater-fan
-The lack of moisture in schools and apartments will lead my skin to develop plague-like attributes
-Every Situation is Different
-Contact solution, Toothpaste, eyedrops, various medicines and other liquids will freeze UNLESS I put them in the fridge (wtf?)
-Toilets will freeze, so I'd better booze up the water the night before
-The Cake is a lie

I heard exchanges like:

Coordinator: Well, we all have things is common, like we all teach kids...
JET x: I teach demons.

*People talking about why they are leaving*

JET y: Well, my situation is a little unique as I have a son coming in February.
*clap clap clap*
JET z: It's not that unique, I'm sure there are other people who will have a son in February...

Coordinator: So, I'm passing out a sheet where I want you to write out your goals for the next two weeks so you can keep track of how things are going.
JET a: "eat a child"
JET b c d: "Two girls at the same time"

*On the issue of underutilized JETs*

JET e: Well, if you think you aren't being used, take up a project. Like me, for instance, my school has the seconded longest hallway in the country, and I got a piece of it for English.
*laughter at the hall comment*
JET e: I'm not even kidding! The longest one is in Aomori and it beats my school by about 1 metre.
*increasing laughter*
JET e: You don't understand, I ride a taxi to get from one end to the other, but it's too small for foreigners so I kinda ride on top and wave at the kids as I pass them by (they aren't allowed to ride on it) and...
Note: I can't remember how the rest of this goes, but you get the idea

*On the topic of 'sick days' and the differing thoughts on it.* NB: Most, if not all Japanese contracts have unlimited sick days that can be taken and about 15-20 days of paid vacation that can be taken. It's a very Japanese custom to take vacation time to heal up from the flu. Some vacation, huh.

Jet f: Man, I don't think the Japanese understand the concept of a sick day, they always try to make me take my paid vacation for days when I'm sick.
Jet g: Actually, I asked another teacher at my school if she was going to take sick leave when she got ill, and she just turned and looked at me and said, "You know, I don't even know if I have sick leave in my contract."
*Cue gasps of shock and terror from other JETs.

When I got to Japan, blogger just started presenting itself in Japanese. This was good in one way because it forced me to figure out Kanji I hardly ever see, and it was bad in another as I didn't have a clue about commenting and the like. Thus, I wouldn't respond to people's comments because I never knew I had any, and you had to have a google acct. to post. However, but annoying points are gone know as I receive an email know whenever I get a comment (to my cell phone, no less) and you don't need a google acct. So, comment freely and I will be sure to reply to you (eventually).

So, what's been happening lately? It's been getting cold. Stupid cold. I type this under the warming glow of my kotatsu with about 3 layers of clothes on and my Kerosene heater begging to be turned on. We've already received about a metre of snow on some days and it's always about 8C when I get up. But, the temperatures vary wildly during the day. Mornings may be cold-ass cold, but mid day will be summer hot. What the hell Japan? Whatever, I'm just going to bubble wrap my apartment when I get some tape.

I have a lot of back entries that I need to put up, but I think I'll do that kinda slowly. I also have a new camera, so I should finally get some good pics of my town and great kids up before the semester is done.

小島　よしお。。。 Kojima Yoshio...

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/773718/
(The video is all in Japanese, but don't worry, the stupidity transcends language)

The first time I saw KY was on Japanese primetime tv before school started, and I thought to myself, "man, this is some crazy shit. Oh well, since I'll never see it again I guess it's worth a chuckle." But alas, I was pretty wrong as it turns out that KY is the flavor of the month and hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. His gag basically consists of him coming out in a thong, making a mistake, breaking into song, making inane observations, breaking into 'そんなの関係ねぇ～！’ (translation: that has nothing to do with this!), before finally breaking into an equally grating　'へいおっぱぴ～！' (roughly abbreviated and translated as: Ocean Pacific Peace). Repeat a few times and add a couple shots of talents breaking into forced laughter and you have topnotch Primetime TV!

Now, I don't mind that people enjoy him, nor do I mind that he's on tv. However, I do mind that almost everyday, I'm bound to hear his irritating gag 5 times. He is pretty much the bane of my existence. Literally, not a day goes by where my students won't do his gag, or adverts for his song/videos won't jump onto my phone. Heck, adults are no better, they too are eager to jump into a 'sonna ni kankei ne' at any minute's notice. I tend to be very careful to make sure that everything I do is related to something else, for fear of triggering a KY attack. My nonsequiters(sp?) have suffered in the crossfire.

Gah!! I don't get it! It can't be THAT funny! Someone explain his mass appeal, PLEASE!