Rip, Roarin, Ready to Sleep

Hey Abe, it's your body, can we talk? It's about your health. I understand the cafeteria says that the food they serve is made with health in mind, but...well, I think they may be glossing over a thing or two. We...your body that is...all agree that you aren't getting enough calories. We run around only a few hours after a meal, and that is if we even get to fully digest it. Didn't you put to and to together before? Japan has the nicest toilets in the world, and for good reason, a significant amount of time is spent on them. I'm just saying, see if you can't get some vitamins or minerals in your system, and no, the minerals in the water don't count. I'm glad we had this talk.
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Lets see if I can wrap up an update in the time before I hop on a bus to head to Tsuchizaki. This weekend is the Kessen Rock Festival, where I will accomplish one of my Japan-goals, seeing my favorite band: Asian Kung-Fu Generation, in concert. Ben and I will spend the night at Sakie's apartment, then hop in the car early in the morning and drive to Iwate, see the concert, and stay in a hotel in Iwate so we can drive back to Akita bright eyed and bushy tailed.

I really think that this concert is going to be good for me. I've started to feel AIU is like a large ship floating in the middle of the ocean with no wind in its sails. The crew and passengers need to find something to do to bide the time before the winds, but some of us go stir crazy first. I've done so much to try to keep myself entertained. I've written in this blog, worked on my audio podcast over at www.jonandabe.com, and started writing a short story about an American detective working in Japan. My time spent with Sakie is probably my most productive. With her we've planned this Kessen Rock Festival Trip, a smaller Hot Springs vacation we'll be taking at the end of the month, and we've started to plan my parents visit. We haven't just done the short term stuff either, we've even gone so far as to start a "Sakie and Abe's Life Together Notebook" with sketches and brainstorms, like this one:

From Study Abroad: AIU

In case you can't tell (and who could blame you), this is a diagram, or more accurately a blueprint of the house we're planning to live in when we move to the states and live together. I sketched out a basic floor plan of the house, and together we filled it with the things we would like to have. It was a warm and fun way to burn a couple of hours. We've also made lists of where we would like to travel, the places we would like to see, and what order we would like to see them in. Certainly alot more constructive then AIU's main pass time.

From Study Abroad: AIU

Heavy Drinking.
I wont go into to much detail, except to say that alot of unhealthy drinking habits have started here at AIU, and not because of some party atmosphere like you might experience at some colleges, but more because there is nothing else to do after you've studied. The cafe and LDIC have closed, and the only vending machine thats still on is the one that dispenses beer. I'm lucky enough to have obligations that take me away from some of the drinking parties, so I've actually done less drinking here then back home. Yea, go me!

Upon further thought, my time here has been punctuated by really interesting events. Not always entertaining, but always interesting. For example, A Noh Play. For those of you who don't know the difference between Noh play, and the world famous Kabuki play, I'll explain the difference.
Kabuki is, according to wikipedia: "the highly stylized classical Japanese Dance-Drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.
Noh plays, according to me, are a minimalist style classical Japanese snore-fest. Noh theatre is known for droll monotone conversations and the sounds of the audience falling asleep and falling out of their chairs.
But hey, I guess the venue was pretty impressive.

From Study Abroad: AIU

From Study Abroad: AIU

From Study Abroad: AIU

From Study Abroad: AIU

Oh, did I fail to mention that at a Noh play, the audience sits outside in the elements? Yea, it is what it is.

From Study Abroad: AIU

From Study Abroad: AIU

After watching a 3 hour Noh play, while sitting in the rain in a plastic lawn chair, I decided it would be nice to relax a bit by hopping in the bath.

From Study Abroad: AIU

I just can't win, some days!