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Well, sorry for not writing sooner. It got a bit busy last week.
First off, nothing new has happened really concerning classes. They are still boring,
and I still don't like them all that much. (This hasn't changed since I was little)
On the other hand, I have mastered the art of reading books during class, and
consequently have read Dave Barry's "Big Trouble", Barbara Kingsolver's "Poisonwood
Bible", Thomas Harris's "Red Dragon" and Michael Crichton's "Rising Sun" since the
last update. Now, a quick review of these books, my opinions, etc. This page should
be retitled from "Chas in Japan" to "Chas's Reviews of Books He Read in Japan."
Big Trouble: Entertaining. Funny, light, easy read.
Poisonwood Bible: Literature. With a big L. A slower read, but hard to put down.
I DEFINITELY recommend it. So does Oprah, as it is on her Book Club list. (Which
would normally turn me away, but it came highly recommended from respected friends.)
Red Dragon: The first book with Hannibal Lecter in it..I have read Silence of the
Lambs and Hannibal both, so this was interesting. Very different writing from his
others that I read, but still interesting. A little disappointing. Can't wait to
see the movie Hannibal when it comes out here, which should be soon.
Rising Sun: Very disappointing. Requires one to know a bit about the economic situation
of America and Japan in the very early nineties, before the "bubble burst." The
current situations in both of these countries makes this novel very unbelievable
and portrays the Japanese a little different than I have and am currently
observing.
I just borrowed a few more books from people, and today, during Language Lab, started
re-reading Catch-22..a book I read the vast majority of, before I was required to return
it to the Penn High School library so that I could graduate. Hmm..
This weekend we had the bekkasai.. the Nanzan International Student Festival.. each
class performed some skits and stuff, and there were a few individual performances. I
performed my rendition of "Rainbow Connection," playing guitar and even singing it in
a Kermit the Frog voice. I am told that it went well.
This week will bring midterm tests, a speaking test, a kanji test, and others. I am
so looking forward to it. As if.
In a few weeks, I will be going to Okinawa for Spring Break. This is officially the
first spring break where I have actually gone somewhere. Last spring, I got to
hang around the house while my parents went to Florida...for MY spring break! It
also spawned the infamous "Entertaining His Girlfriend" story which the entire
world got to hear about, as it was covered on CNN and featured in TIME magazine.*
We are going to fly down there on the 24th of March, and come back a week later,
hopefully tanned and rested. I expect to accidentally swallow at least a gallon of
seawater, to make up for all the years where I didn't get to the beach(since 7th
grade!)
Anyway, until then, I hope to read a ton, work out a ton for the ladies, and get
my schoolwork taken care of while I can. And let my ankle heal up. It continues
to get sore, so..
This weekend is Courtney's birthday, and St. Patrick's Day. I have to celebrate the
Irish side of me, right?
Top o' the mornin' to ya! and all that Jazz.
Chas
*And the Observer.