The last few days

Well, first of all, I had Monday off work because it was "respect for the aged day" and appropriately two friends and I went hiking into the mountains to help the old lady that lives there, who we called “grandmother.” (Note: all old people in Japan are called grandmother or grandfather). We spent the whole day trying to move a tree that had fallen across the only path up to her house. We couldn’t move the tree, so we sawed off some of the roots and build trail over it instead, using rocks and dirt. She rewarded us with Udon (Japanese noodles) and green tea.
Tuesday I taught at a center for kids that refuse to go to school. These 8 kids probably got picked on something, maybe some had adhd, I don’t quite know, but we had a lot of fun playing games with them. The pic is of us playing the “who am I” game. Everyone writes an animal or famous person on a sheet of paper, and then sticks it on the forehead of their neighbor. We all go around and ask the group yes or no questions, like “am I a pet?” Great fun.

Today in class, during the jeopardy game, I casually did the finger trick where it looks like a worm is wiggling through your hands (see pic) and all the kids saw me and were trying to do it for the rest of the day. After school I went to the art opening of a show by a local artist, whose daughter is a teacher at one of my schools. The art sang to me. I felt like I was looking at the art I longed to be making, or that earth mother longed to be creating though me. I might study with this guy twice a month. He epitomizes the wise old Japanese man archetype. (seen sitting in picture). He gave me the catalog and poster as a gift. Inspired, I rushed home and painted all evening. Here are some things I worked on.