Banana in my pocket

Voting in this month's AJET National Council elections got underway last Monday. We've got what is possibly a record number of candidates for positions, which I guess is some indication that the current council has been doing its job. Since I decided to throw my hat in the ring for AJET Chair - like President, but without the scandals, security or pay - it' s been a bit nerve-wracking, firstly waiting for the election to start, and now wondering if enough votes are coming my way. I've spent the last few days sending emails left, right and centre to gather some support. There are two other candidates for the top job, both capable in their own ways, so I expect it'll be close!

I'm not one to let an election get in the way of a good time, however, so I've spent the past 10 days or so putting my snowboard to as much use as possible. Hitting the slopes one day in every two isn't a bad effort, don't you think? :)

Wednesday February 11 was a public holiday in Japan, so I jumped in the Pajero Mini last Tuesday night and took her for a spin. All the way to the mainland, Honshu, passing through Kagawa and Okayama until I got to Himeji, just west of Kobe, turning north towards the Sea of Japan, and finally arriving once again at Amanda's house in northern Hyogo. I stayed at Amanda's with three mates from the valley back in December, when we turned up to catch the first snow of the season. Many chips in my cheap snowboard later, I made the trip again, this time by myself, to see what the slopes of Hachikita had to offer in full snow. And to enjoy Amanda's choc chip pancakes for breakfast, of course. I wasn't disappointed! :)

Taking Thursday and Friday off on paid leave, I had plenty of time to ski all over the mountain. I copped a bit of an injury late on the Thursday, though, trying my hand at a tabletop, and decided to take it easy the next day by sleeping in and doing some AJET work in the afternoon. I came down on the edge of the table, landing on my shin. It was painful, but thankfully not broken, so I kept sliding down the mountain until I reached my car. The kind gentleman at the parking lot who helped me clean up the graze told me that the location of my battle scar is known in Japanese as "Benkei no naki tokoro". Apparently the story goes that Benkei was as strong and brave a man as any other in his time, but couldn't help but shed tears upon receiving a blow to the top of his shin - a place called, therefore, "Benkei's Crying Spot". Was I braver for not shedding a tear? I think my initial reaction was embarrassment, actually. I wish they'd put fun things like tabletops somewhere other than beneath busy chair lifts! And I'm sure Benkei was never stupid enough to try jumping off a slick table with a long piece of fiberglass strapped to his feet. :)

I went to an interesting Mardi Gras themed party on Friday night with Amanda's friends, and then spent most of Valentine's Day driving home. They don't get much less romantic than that, but at least my parents made the most of it. This past February 14 marked their 35th anniversary! I got home too late to phone them and wish them well, but I heard the next day that Mum and Dad had some great steak and seafood for dinner, and as I type, they're enjoying the sights of Sydney together. Nice.

Back on the slopes on February 15 with a couple of locals, and then back to school on the Monday after my five-day weekend. I taught two elementary school classes on Monday and one junior high class on Tuesday, which is par for the course. Fujimoto-sensei was away on business on Wednesday and Thursday, however, so no English classes. Friday wasn't exactly work either - skiing excursion with the kids from Zentoku! So, three classes and a day on the slopes later, I was ready to go for another big weekend. Tough life!

As I walked from the ski slope back to my car on Friday afternoon, however, my plans for a fun, stress-free weekend went slightly awry. I reached into my pocket for the car keys and suddenly found my hand immersed in a gooey mess that had no place being in my pocket, on my keys, or anywhere but in a blender on its way to becoming a banana shake. You see, I cooked some pumpkin soup the night before and headed over to the next town to hang out with Scottish JET Duncan and his wife Makiko for the evening. A few drinks and a video later, I ended up staying the night and woke up early to head off to ski with the kids. Toast and juice for breakfast, no worries, and here's a banana for the road, says Duncan. Thanks mate, slip banana in pocket, get on the road, promptly forget about it until 4pm. I had my fair share of crashes during the day, many of them ending up with me lying face down in the snow. I was alright, but the banana was not! There was nothing to do but clean my keys and hand, drive 90 minutes home, and empty the pocket as hastily as I could into the sink before giving it a good clean. That's the last time I put a banana in my pocket. :)

My snowboarding woes weren't over, however. I just got back from Daisen this afternoon, Sunday February 22. It's too windy to ski there today, so we came home early, but yesterday was possibly one of the finest, warmest, mid-February days on record. The teachers I went with were complaining of sweat and I reckon all the boys who joined the Naked Man Festival in Okayama were probably enjoying their run in the cool night air - a springtime stroll compared to the cold sleet I had to run in last year! With such warm conditions, I thought, perhaps this will be my last snowboard for the season? It seemed the board was determined to prove me right, too. After lunch, I went to strap into my board again, only to find a 10cm chip peeling off the top. As we walked back to the hotel at the end of the session, I was also missing a bolt from my foot bindings and several others were loose. It was a cheap board, I know, but come on! I was planning on buying new bindings, anyway, so I'll try and pick up a new board in the end-of-season sales and keep the old one for my next tilt at the tabletop. At least I'll save some money by staying at home in March. :)

I shouldn't speak too soon, though. I've just booked a ticket to Seattle for the spring holidays, to go and see my old friend Keith. There could still be some snow over there at the end of March, I guess! Booking a plane ticket for the spring holidays is a nightmare, but it'll be worth it. Until then, I'm planning on going to Kyushu next weekend for an AJET meeting, catching this year's AJET Musical here in Tokushima in early March (spectating should be a nice change of scene!), and maybe getting to work in my new role as AJET Chair. Maybe. :)

Lots of love,

Dave