And once more the old patterns have been resumed. I go to class, I study, I hang around the Center. I will say one thing, I miss in no way shape or form the two hours I spent commuting between Yasu and Hikone each day.

Well okay… maybe I even miss that a little. Getting good brisk exercise in the morning was nice. Although now I have an extra two hours a day I can do those other things I love so much, like sleeping. I've gotten back into the habit of cooking for myself without trouble, and I'm already planning on just all the things I'll be buying from the Asian market in East Lansing. I'm not sure why, but I know see rice as something of a comfort food. Bland, sticky, but oddly…well comforting. Of course, if I want Japanese style rice, I'm probably going to have to buy a rice cooker too, since minute rice just isn't the same (for one thing the rice doesn't stick at all, which makes it a real pain to eat with chopsticks). I guess when Mom stops by in Michigan I'll have all sorts of spiffy and completely unidentifiable dishes to show off.

Another thing I don't miss: fish and runny eggs. My one concession to non-entity-ism during my home stay was my absolute refusal to not eat anything set before me. So I ate a lot of fish, and I really don't like fish. Then there were the fried eggs for breakfast. As my parents can so well tell you, I despise runny yolks about as much as I despise fish. I got by by telling myself, 'hey, it's egg gravy. All good, right?'

Bleah.

Interesting day on the mail front. I got a envelope of newspaper clippings from my parents, as well as the thank you gift they sent for my host family (I'll present it to Okaasan and Otousan on Friday when they come for the closing ceremony), and a letter from a kid I met in Kyoto oh way back when (I think I mentioned him before - he was part of the group of school kids that stopped to talked to me as an assignment from their English class, and I gave them my JCMU address to send a letter to). I had forgotten about the incident completely, when low and behold, I got the letter (coincidentally, today we also learned how to write addresses on envelopes - I think that there is a conspiracy afoot). The letter was written in English, and although basic, it probably beats what I'm going to write back (in Japanese of course).

Speaking of presents, I gave one of those nice Parker Pen sets that Dad bought for me to give as gifts to the Koto instructor as a thank you gift from the class. As I've lamented on several previous occasions, I'm going to miss the lessons. They were a lot of fun, and have made me really regret never seriously pursuing an instrument.

I'm feeling cruel and spiteful today, and so I'm not even going to proof this entry, not even a little. Tremble ye puny mortals, before my writing in its purest, most unrefined form!!!

Mwa-haha!!

Watch your head. There are participles dangling all over the place.