A WALK UNDER THE CHERRY TREES

before they bloom

TATSUNO 龍野

Back in Tatsuno, my old town before. The short 6 months stint in Nishinomiya was short but good. Nice to be back in the country to just sit back and relax and be a bum for a month til the next job in Himeji starts. ++ pic of scooter license plate, the hiragana reads Tatsuno city

DISNEY??

Got great news today when I called up Ogawa sensei from my old school just to see how things were going. She said something incredible happened. The
boys basketball won 1st place in the school district area. Then got 2nd place in the greater area tournament, and next are going to the Hyogo (state) tournament. Holy cows!?!?!

A little background on the suprise. All of last year I was trying hard, or somewhat hard to get the bball team to get some respect. Well, basically the boys sucked, getting blown out game after game, with scores like 20-100 which is pretty damn embarassing. I tried to hang tough and teach em what I knew, because heck the coaches didn't even know basketball too. They were just regular teachers. So at the same time I was teaching the boys and girls coaches on how to play basketball. I thought it could one of those Disney movies like the "Mighty Ducks" where you get this scrub to baller team. But when I left in July I thought that would never have happened. Even Ogawa sensei said, go teach the kids, you are the ALT you can make them good, ha ha.
Oh I miss those basketball boys, even how foolish they were, I still felt that I could help them out, and look they made me proud. Honestly this could be the most perverted team at the same time, always touching each other up and me too, maybe thats why their defense is good now, playing man to man, ha ha. Ah, Mr. Shimazu, the next Kobe I thought, in time, always practiced shooting everyday and was getting good, just in the game he freaked out, but I know in time he will turn around, one of the nicest kids out there and speaks awesome English, also gave him my shoes, but he already outgrew them, these kids. Mr. Nakajima, the enforcer, always gets angry at himself and at others, but hey thats great in bball you always need a Dennis Rodman in there, and I don't know why he loves grabbing boys tits. Then there is Mr. XXX I call him, little Isiah, tough like nails, smallest guy out there but will run you into the ground on his gritty D and can always hit you up with a nice layup. Mr. XXX sometimes lazy, sometimes great, you won't know who you will get that day, but you always gotta keep em going, Mr. nice guy too, and great at English, he knows what you are talking about when you ask him about his "nuts".

Just some more random thoughts from the past ...

Crazy Japanese basketball it was fun to see at the begining two years ago. Honestly I never played any organized bball or was super good or anything, but I liked playing it everyday and I liked to watch college NCAA bball. Learned alot from TV, on how the coaches and commentators responded to players mistakes or great plays. So it was interesting to see how coaches in Japan didn't know how to run out the clock, or use it, or even play zone defense. So fuck, man to man sucked sometimes, so had the team play some zone. No one ever saw the zone before and we beat a couple of teams at it, until they caught on the year after and started playing the zone too.

Anyways best wishes to them! GO TEAM!

WHATS BEEN GOING ON?

Been super MIA, missing in action, but hey I will get back into the routine of things soon. Guess I have to do updates back from summer. Well anyways here is the quick wrap up. At the end of the school year it was sad to see the kids and teachers for one last time. It was a super great 3 years on the JET program, would definetly recommend it to anyone. Also it was good times with friends in Tatsuno, everyone here has been so nice. Moved back to the summer, chilled at Ace's, nothing like living by Greenlake and eating good food. Caught up with alot of good friends over drinks, or foods, and still missed some other friends, but don't worry I will be back so we can hang out again. Stopped by cali to visit Seila and hook up with my old seattle buddys. Nice house Edgar! Also had our JET reunion with Kristine, Aaron, and Tina. Nothing like reliving sushi and karaoke. Saw the folks in Spokane, nice to see the roots and hang out with them, even though they nag ya, you still have to love them. Found out alot more about my dad, its always nice to sit down and talk with them. Lost some stuff at the SF airport, luckily it popped back up. Caught up with the old roomies Ark and Thao, amazing what cold turkey can do for ya, good job boys. Headed back to Japan, through Tokyo, came back and thought it wasn't the same. Maybe it was being homeless, maybe I missed Tatsuno and not Japan, but luckily I had alot of good friends to help me along the way. Ayame and Mike being folks housed me so I wouldnt have to live on the streets. New school started in Nishinomiya, called Kobu Junior High School. Everyones super nice, great kids, nice teachers, and the school has AC throughout the school! super rare! Survived a 2 hour commute in the morning and another 2 hour commute back, so 4 fucking hours! Just got the new home finally, happy to moving near my school and just relaxing. Because I got no money, there will be alot of relaxing going on. 20 minutes to Kobe or 20 minutes to Umeda, Osaka, the location is great to get to the city. Also it was nice to catch up with the Japanese moms that I have, Noriko san and Ogawa sensei, they are always so nice to help me out. Slowly things are getting better in Japan. Hopefully when my internet gets up at my new pad, things will be good to go. Peace out until then!