I figured I'd post, no matter how uninteresting, while I took the time to update the Album of the Month.

This month is the self-titled Clash album, aptly named The Clash. I believe it's the second album, far rawer than London Calling and most certainly Combat Rock. Although it doesn't live up to London Calling (which, in my mind, is one of the best albums of all time), it's a butt-load of punky fun, giving a nice insight to the roots of The Clash.

The upcoming week is Golden Week, a Japanese vacation put into place connecting Green Day (April 29th) and Children's Day (May 5th). Unfortunately, ASIJ doesn't recognise Japanese holidays, so while all of the Japanese school children have no school for the upcoming five days, I only got Friday off. Looking forward however, to my next vacation, I realize that it balances out when we have three months off of school and Japanese kids get something like a measly three weeks.

Symbolic, eh? Next vacation I'm going to be free from this year's filth, ready to start off as a clean mormon girl. Or not. Hopefully next year will be less stressful than this last one.

Anyway, on Thursday night, a doctor friend of the family, who treats me like an adopted grandchild, had a publishing celebration dinner. Unfortunately, the fancy, Chinese course dinner contained only a few things that I could eat: Peking duck, corn dog crab leg, and pickled Chinese cabbage. The most exciting thing though, was the gift he gave me: 10,000 yen of toshoken, "money" that can only be used at book stores. I'm super psyched, seeing as I actually read now, not to mention the countless publications about graphic arts and design that I was admiring, full of awe, while feeling broke.

Friday morning, my mom took me to a salon-type place that she had gone to before to get a relaxing foot/hand/head/face massage and facial. It was soooo nice and I felt ridiculously pampered. I think I deserved to relax for once though. They had this steam machine and sucked the crap from my pores with their special vaccum thing and oooh, it was so nice.

After that, we walked around for a bit.

Yesterday, my mom and I went to a tsunami benefit concert of Japanese taiko (drums) and tsugaru-shamisen, the instrument that I'm learning to play right now. It was tres cool.

After that, we walked around for a bit.

Today is a day for homework, hopefully followed some laziness. If I have time, I might go to the book store. Otherwise, it will wait until next week.

Until next time, I leave you with this silly visual anecdote.


Fig.1: Girl dressed for fashionable ball, ripe for seduction by some moustachioed cad - or is she?


Fig. 2: Cross-section reveals father concealed beneath skirts armed with primitive castration device.

Read the article where these images emerged here. It's very funny, the clever little Brit...