random quickies

just returned to the teacher’s room after my second trip to the basement where all the nihon shu making machines live. one of my schools [which shall remain nameless in light of recent blog troubles] offered a technical emphasis in this art, but unfortunately this is the last batch they’ll ever turn out. the student population is being thinned [no new students next year] so that they can close this facility and unite with another nearby mountain school. so today was the annual, it’s almost ready, taste for yourself, no one really spits in the bucket, free-for-all. after the graduation ceremony, when most of the students had cleared out, you’d see small groups making the last of their pilgrimages through the maze of winding halls and endless staircases to the brewery. there were three hand-labeled bottles and in front of each sat a large ceramic cup covered with a glass disc. nearby index cards described the method of making, alcohol content and acidity. I did my best to discern what I could about the alcohols by listening to the conversations. everyone drank from the same cups and really took time to commune and discuss their opinions. my favorite was the medium-spicy [direct translation from Japanese] sake with the highest alcohol content.


was watching tv yesterday when a piece aired about a recent nationwide competition. get this- it was the big claw that you use to try and grab cheap prizes or candy out of the glass box video game tournie. although I knew some people were gifted with this odd talent, I hadn’t seriously considered the technique or strategy involved. the winner was unstoppable, besting machine after machine to claim his poorly stitched, cheaply made, dusty, year old treasures.


they are painting and re-wall-papering my apartment building which means you get a mean paint thinner headache whenever you come or go, but the colors are brighter and the place looks cleaner than ever before.