Random Stuff

Monday morning. One week on. In an exceptionally wierd head space at the moment. Feeling bound in my freedom. Able yet unwilling. Counting Crows provides a bit of solace. The world just opened up its floodgates of experience and I think i'm freaking out a bit.

Wierd that when you know (or feel/think you know) what you want it becomes a bit more difficult to get that.

Ever since highschool i've had this intrinsic "upgrade" thing going inside my head. (Sounds harsher than it is) I think its natural- i'm sure everyone has it. Essentially, you date someone. When/if that goes bad (as it usually tends to in highschool) one proceeds to date the next person- as you do. But, the next person can't or at the least shouldn't be "less than" (in most respects) your previous. If it is, you'll become unhappy. Why? You're settling. You've experienced more, so how can you be happy with less.

Tough thing after a long, long relationship and after a long time of searching before that is wondering wether or not A: you will find it again and B: how bloody quickly you can.

Currently,i'm not looking. Not interested. Not saying there arent fanciable people there. But at the end of the day- what's a shag really?

On the lighter side of things the weekend was interesting. Went out all night for the first time in.....*thinks*....for the first time in about 6 or 7 months maybe 8.
Not to hook up, but just to chill. What a cool experience. What that I felt i've been craving for a long time. Just the freedom and the absence of guilt for simply speaking to a member of the opposite sex.

Saturday was the Yakiniku. It does deserve a defininte article. The Yakiniku is always good, good, good. Transcendantly so. That was coupled with back spasms and wierd stomach cramps. Either related to the alcohol from the night before or stress (possibly a combination).
I had to pack all her stuff, as she was coming the next day to get it. That was after Euro trip at the Jon's (read: his gfs) place.

Sunday-ratail therapy. She came to fetch the rest of her things while I was out. One accrues a large amount of stuff whilst co-habitating - so, I assume she had a mate with a car to help her out. Bryan bought a gun. That was cool. MP5 SD5. Super sexy gun. Second hand, but - its all good.

Anywho. Now is work. If one can call it that. Off to download TOA application form. Rock on.

Creativity....

Or the bliding, startling, excessive, entirely avoidable, economy crippling, soul stifling, humour crushing, off-pissing, full of shit..

LACK there of !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Damnit. I, just this second, walked out of my 2nd grade class (it's finished- i didnt leave it or anything).

This school (and particularly this grade) amoung all others i've taught have a very, very distinct problem. From the first lines of this post you may understand what it is.

Now, when I set a task that is there to aid thinking, creativity and add a bit into the mix- only to be shot down...

My task was to make a telephone conversation between 3 people. I was shot down in the class by the teacher who said it would not be a good idea on acount of the fact that the conversation parts would not be shared equally.

Look- the teacher just came in now to say we fucked up anway- cause we hadnt taught the previous lesson (the one that came before it- hence the lack of response....but still- they could do it.)

Anywho- back to the moaning. As I said- this school in general suffers from a severe lack of creativity. It's reflective in their everyday conversation and of course in their art. If you can call it that.

So, understandably, when I want to do something that will engage the students and get them to do more than plug in and rinse and repeat. GRrrr.

My mate Ned did a talk recently on American vs. Japanese schooling. Now, the fundamental point he made which couldn't be more accurate is this:

Japanese schools teach kids what to do. What to answer, what to say, what to plug in.
American (everywhere else actually) schools teach kids what to answer and WHY !

Why is the least asked question in Japan. NO-ONE will ask it. Very, very distressing. I can't believe that this country is still functioning in a first world capacity I really can't.

Gantz btw. Random insert- but strangely related. I saw an episode last night. The first one. Its an anime- reasonably new- but OH MY WORD. What unbelievable cultural insight and critique. There may be hope. Four thumbs up. Check it out.