Clovers.

My friend Rieko constantly points out how "lucky" I am, as she puts it.
The other day we were sitting in my friend Yohei's house when she said,
"I really can't believe how lucky you are. You're too lucky. One of these days your luck will backfire on you, and when it does it'll be really bad because of how lucky you've been up to now. Maybe it will happen in China."
"That's a dangerous place for it to happen.", I replied.
"Yeah, you'll probably die. But I'm really excited for it to happen, because it will make things seem normal again. Make sure you tell me about it when it happens."
"You mean when I die?"
"Yeah, well, I'm Japanese, right? We all believe in ghosts. [menacing laugh]"

Three seconds later, my drink was finished.

Sometimes you just meet the right...people?

Kanoya Goodbyes.

Last night was my first "farewell party".
I know, I know, I'm not actually leaving quite yet, but this will be the last week of teaching in Kanoya City, which is my monthly business trip.
Drinking games and happy-sad feelings were in order.
It astonishes me to think of the people whom I've met in this country, and especially this town.
It was wonderful to have all of my Kanoya friends in the same room, and endlessly interesting to think that when we first became friends the only Japanese I was sure of was, well, almost none.
My friend Chiaki is a professional calligraphy artist and teacher. She wrote out about 10 stunningly beautiful Kanji for me in varying styles as a farewell gift.
She framed one of them, which is too old to be recognized on this computer, which is a single, double-unit Kanji conveying understanding by non-communication.
My friend Yohei explains it as, "heart to heart".

Sometimes you just meet the right people.

Point of Interest (suspiciously similar to Angie's method):

Yohei and I spent about 20 drunken minutes in a heated debate over which Anime is the best: Cowboy Bebop or one of the Gundam series.
And then...

Yohei: "There are so many variations on the Gundam series!"
Me: "But quantity doesn't determine quality!"
Yohei: "Well, how many episodes does Cowboy Bebop have?"
Me: "Around 26 or so. Did you forget?"
Yohei: "No, I've never seen Cowboy Bebop."
Me: "Wha-...Then...what's your point of reference?"
Yohei: "I like Gundam a lot."

I'll be heading to his house tonight to do some music and word collaborations.

Short Versions of Long Nights.

Last night I went out with friends for one of the last times in Kanoya City (tomorrow night is my first Farewell Party).
At one point I was asked if there was "taroh" in Canada.
I gave a confusing look, sat for about 30 seconds in silence, and finally realized that what sounded like "taroh" was actually the "Japanized" word for "terrorists".
I said that there weren't.
Shortly after, a girl I had just met that night told me that she was thinking she had fallen in love with me, adding, "but only a little bit".
I told her that I've found Love hard to measure.

名前が無し。[no name]

I believe that I am beginning to see realities how the ancients have seen them.
I am seeing multiple Space-Time possibilities in harmony. I am interacting with people's dreams. I am feeling sound, seeing taste, and smelling touch.

Today I received an e-mail from someone whom I haven't spoken to in a very long time.
She told me I need to be saved.
She knows little more than my name, about me.
This pattern is suspiciously frequent.
Those same compelled to tell me to receive Jesus into my heart seem forever more compelled to disbelieve that he is already there.