It's been typhooning all day. On typhoon days, even though most shops- including the hardiest konbinis (convenience stores)- are closed and classes are cancelled in the name of student safety, teachers are expected to brave the weather and make it to work. If we decide we do not want to risk it (on the morning of my first typhoon last year, I caught a ride with my supervisor and we raced a fallen palm tree to the school) we are given the "option" of taking a day of nenkyu (paid leave.)

All day the windows behind my desk rattled. It was dark and grey and broody and I couldn't keep my eyes open for the first two hours. I sat at my laptop and read these well-written but depressing top five emailed NYTimes articles (all op-ed, surprisingly) about Bush's ineptitude (in general, and in responding to the New Orleans disaster.) Shocking. Then I read student journal entries. This week's topic: "Japanese food is the best in the world." I knew I was setting myself up for a unanimous "I agree", but it's kind of funny after awhile to hear the endless ringing endorsements. I particularly liked this one: "I agree. I am Japanese. I like Japanese food. It is healthy and delicious. Besids, I hear if we eat other coutries food, it's do us harm." I've heard that too. Stay away from spaghetti!

On that note, I will post something that Grant's been wanting to post all week but hasn't been able to because he hasn't had access to the computer. Maybe you've seen this already, but we can't get enough Flying Spaghetti Monsterism around here. It's really changed our lives. Look into it.