Something New

I'm currently at school but have this class period free (English grammar, something with which my mother would say I need help). Yesterday's activities were entertaining, but I'm rather tired today. In foreign affairs class with John Davey we were learning about Rosa Parks (about whom I gave a cursory introduction and then felt bad because I know very little about Rosa Parks as a person). In the middle of the lesson, he played "Rosa Parks" by Outkast which I have to applaud as an excellent teaching method. Regardless of questionable lyrics (which are hard to understand even for me, let alone the average Japanese student), the song's chorus "Everybody move to the back of the bus" was useful in illustrating the topic.

After school I went with the ESS (English Speaking Society, reminds me of Dead Poets Society), John Davey, Andee, and Higo sensei to Eleven, a popular karaoke bar to sing some Japanese and English songs. I am finding karaoke very fun regardless of company, although I wouldn't do it by myself. There were about nine of us, and I sang some English songs and attempted some popular Japanese songs I have been hearing lately. One good aspect of J-pop is that most songs include incomprehensible snippets of English such as "Enjoy!” “It's join!" or "...go back to honey’s house," which makes it easy to sing along to the chorus in English.

In the evening I watched Haunted Mansion with Eddie Murphy, which I have to say wasn't too bad. Plus I enjoy Eddie Murphy ever since I saw his standup, so it was amusing to see him in a children's movie. Also, a boy from Australia came to stay with the Watanabes (I have discerned that their home is a boarding house). He goes to Shun's school and will be staying in Okayama for a week. We talked about Australia, but he was very tired and went to bed early. His name is Thomas.

In Japanese ghost is translated as "corpse candle."