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No rest for the wicked

February 2002

Well, folks, the AJET Tokushima musical "The Wizard of Awa" didn't exactly open to packed houses in Anan and Naruto cities this past weekend, but the turnout was respectable, the audiences were friendly, and by all accounts, we were well worth watching. Things ran relatively smoothly, especially given that these were our first performances, with credit due to our tech team for pulling it together so well. Toto, played by a six foot four Englishman, lived up to his billing as the world's largest dog. Dorothy was as cute as cute could be. Tanuki found his courage, Scarecrow his brain, and the Robot (me) his heart. Even the Witch and her Monkey were forgiven for being evil and naughty, all in time to join in for the big swing hoe down at the end. Hopefully word will get around that we're not half bad, so that this coming weekend we'll sing and dance to a good crowd. Maybe I'll even get another bunch of flowers! :)

Figuring that you've had about enough of reading my news at length, I've finally got onto the scanner here at school to send you some photos. Attached are a couple of nice pics from the opening night of the musical in Anan, of some time spent frolicking in the snow at the Oku-Iya Kazurabashi vine bridges at the eastern end of the Iya Valley, and of me at a local temple. There was no one but me and a friend at the bridges that day, so we got to run around freely on the sister and brother bridges built by the very first inhabitants of the valley. The area's beauty in winter is quite something. I'm glad I had the mini-Pajero to get us there and back through two feet of snow! And it was well worth climbing those stairs at Hashikura Temple, though I should probably have taken the slow way down. :)

What am I going to do when the musical is finished? I think party is the first order of the day, and then catch up on a good deal of rest. It'll be nice to spend a weekend at home doing nothing for the first time in two months, rather than driving all over the country for rehearsals and performances. It's been worth it, mind you, but the final curtain call will be satisfying. And then, I think I've gotten myself roped into organising a few things for the JETs in Tokushima this coming year. The Yearbook, orientation for new JETs, regular newsletters, maybe the next musical... better get cracking. There really is no rest for the wicked. :)

Before I close this mail and leave it to the pictures to do the talking, I'd just like to make a mention of Mum and Dad, who saw in their thirty-third anniversary on Valentine's Day. That day in Japan is when girls are meant to give something to guys (generally chocolate), who duly return the favour on March 14 (generally with white chocolate). Yes, only in Japan, but it's not any more or less commercial than elsewhere. Indeed, in the thirty-three years since my parents got married in a little Kings Cross church, the modern spectacle of Valentine's Day has become less substance and more sparkle. For a lesson in romance, I'll head back to my parents any day. Top work, Mum and Dad. Hope to see you again soon.

Just for the record, though, I did get some chocolate, from a rather lovely local girl. But I said I was about to finish, and I meant it. :)

Take care, lots of love,

Dave