Important

I am capable.

Tomorrow is sports day. I don't know exactly what I'll be doing, but I expect it to be fun. I'm meeting some friends at the big station and we're taking a train together to Somewhere, where we'll play basketball (which I hate) and do a giant jump rope contest with our whole homeroom. It should be a splendid day.

I feel particularly good today for several reasons. First thing this morning, Tanaka Sensei (one of my Japanese teachers) and I spent an hour talking. I understood almost everything and was able to reply in Japanese. He said there was significant improvement since our last meeting and that he was really impressed. I tried to be Japanese and shook my head and denied it. He told me that it was stupid to deny it because it's true. I really did get better. And I know I got betters so I stopped denying it and thanked him. Being "modest" (that's what they call denying compliments. Personally, I don't think saying "thank you" makes a person any less modest, just from a different culture) is harder than it sounds. I never know when to deny compliments and when to accept them. The nice thing is that the Japanese know this and expect it, so pretty much anything I say is okay. I hope.

I read an advertisement today for an ear, nose, and something else clinic. That was awesome. I wanted someone to ask me what it said so I could let them know I knew, but it was in the middle of the subway station and nobody really cared if I could read the ad.

I had a really nice walk home around 7:30-ish. The weather was just what it should have been - a little breezy a little warm. And dark.

Dinner was one of my favorites: soba and some weird chicken thing and rice and salad. Dessert was absolute great. Pears and something that reminded me a little bit of turkish delight, except not even half as sweet.

Today in kendo, I got to participate with everyone in the beginning, during the warm ups. Finally. I still haven't gotten any gear yet and I'm really in no rush. I have a lot to learn about how to swing the shinai before I actually do anything. They're so patient with me and I love learning so much. New concepts are fabulous. Exhilarating.