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Well first I will begin with Thanksgiving.. it was quite interesting, beginning with
the Shinkansen ride there.. keep in mind that this train travels at over 200 miles an
hour through the Japan countryside. I got there in time to meet Mr. Jim Moynihan, an
ND alum that works at the Legal Attache in the Tokyo American Embassy.. very funny
guy. FBI. Pictures of him and important people. Also has a law degree. Bingo bango
bongo, er!
He showed us around, and took us to an Irish Pub (in Tokyo!) which would soon serve
as the location for the Notre Dame-Japan Alumni Club party. It was quite cool..we
got to meet(and share a drink with) the Irish Ambassador to Japan!
This funded our night until the cash ran out and we decided to head to somewhere
more active..so around 12:30am on Friday night/Saturday morning we agree to meet
some people to go dancing. (If you have ever been to a dance with me, you know
this situation quite well.)
The ND guys and Jim's wife go with us to meet these people. Soon, we found ourselves
in a darkened club with overly loud music, dancing like there was no tomorrow.
Some of us(I was quite alright, but I won't mention anyone else's name) wished that
there hadn't been a tomorrow. We left the club around 3:30am and went home. We soon
crashed and had a nice sleeping in.. except for three guys who were awakened by the
sound of a looming FBI agent demanding money. Paul quickly pacified him and they
were off to the land of the sugar plum Japanese people. (Some inside jokes here)
That Saturday we walked around Tokyo, checking out the city. A huge city, by the
way. As Jim Foster put it, "like New York, without the violence." (He's another
ND alum that was letting us stay at his home.) He is right.. very safe, very big.
A concrete jungle. (Read Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" for another metaphor of a
city being a jungle.)
Anyway, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with Turkey(yes!!!) and the works.
Afterward, instead of another night out, we stayed in, hung out and listened to
Irish music until the wee hours of the mornin'. After a few hours of sleep for
most of us, we got up and watched Notre Dame beat the tar out of USC in a great
game which clenched our bid for a BCS bowl(FIESTA!!!!)
Then Alex and Chris and I went home via Shinkansen again.. throughout the weekend,
I read Michael Crichton's "Timeline," which was quite good. If you get a weekend,
read it. (Smiling very cheesily and giving a Thumbs Up! sign)
School is quite boring, but quite busy. I play a lot of guitar during my rare
breaks..wrote a few songs..
Also, my host father recently entered the hospital. When I asked why, my host mom
replied, "it is his kensa.." I stared at her..
Cancer?
No, Kensa..
Cancer? Kensa? What?!
My worried look must have tipped her off. She went to the dictionary.. meanwhile,
I was thinking.. "Man, what's with me and host fathers?!" She comes back, and points
at the book.. kensa(a japanese word, obviously): an examination, an inquiry, a checkup
Oh, I see.. a week long checkup. He is in his late 60s, and that is understandable.
Well anyway, the results come back and he has high blood pressure.. and his veins are
too narrow, so he is going in to have an operation on them to fix some of the problem.
Some time early next year, that is. So since then, our diet has consisted of little
salt or sugar.. very little.. in fact, my host mom gives me a special plate of things
to eat since I would probably explode if I had to eat another cold, unsoysauced piece of
tofu.. And no, unsoysauced is not a word.
The other night, I got a package in the mail..it was from Mrs. Joan Murphy at River
Valley church, where I regularly attend(when I am not on the other side of the world).
It was a care package full of snacks and cards..you see, she is in charge of the
kindergarten through 5th grade kids at church and their ministry.. and sometimes I
help out by doing skits and stuff.. well they decided to send me a package.. and she
must have mentioned that I was a Notre Dame student, because man.. well 19 of the cards
had mention of ND in a positive way.. and two or three had negatives.. like "ND STINKS!"
from a six year old. And one that had a big ND on the front, but when you open it up,
it says, "I dont really like ND. I like IU." Hmm.. they get 'em young I see.
Well, this weekend I will be working like a banshee to get a 7 page paper out, to rewrite
and memorize a 3 minute speech, and to get some rest. I have been a little sick lately..
And I can't wait to come home! See some of you in two weeks!!!!!!
Must go, but Peace! and Bingo Bango Bongo!
Chas