Ginkgo nuts

The principal of one of my schools gave all the teachers ginkgo nuts on a day I was there. Lucky me. Here is what I have learned about Ginkgo nuts:

Ginkgo nuts smell. It's hard to describe. It kind of smells kind of like shit, but different. This is reduced when they're rinsed, and changes when they're cooked. They still smell, but now it's milder, and very much it's own special odor.
Ginkgo nuts are this really nasty shade of yellow green. Quite similar to the color of your phlegm when you have a sinus infection.
Gingko nuts are bitter. Even if you add salt and cook them.
Ginkgo nuts explode if you don't crack them before you put them in the microwave. It sounds kind of like really heavy popcorn.
If I set food next to my computer, I will pick at it even if I don't like it. (I really ought to throw the Gingko nuts away.) They're gone now.

Update

I've been busy. On top of that, I've been fighting off a cold for over two weeks now. It's legacy seems to have settled into my right ear, so I'm going to go see a doctor tomorrow or Monday, depending on whether I can find a place that's open on Sundays. My body has adjusted to my schedule here so that by the time I'm home and settled after going into Nagoya (about 11pm), it's time to go to bed. This is good, because I get sleep. Unfortunately it means I don't spend time updating.

I went to Nagoya Mixed choir (we had our performance in September)for the first time in over a month today. It's just been one thing after another on Sat nights, and the one night this month that I would have made it was cancelled due to one of the 4 hurricanes that has come through.

I started studying Tea Ceremony this month. I go on Saturday mornings with a fellow teacher, H sensei. She's very kind and picks me up to go to the teacher's house, which is in Iwasaki. Unfortunately, she was not feeling well this morning, so I made calls to some friends at home instead. (Another downside to being busy and sick-- I haven't kept in as close contact with several people, including my family) Then I went to see Swing Girls, a Japanese movie about a group of high school kids that make a jazz band. It's by the same director as "Shall We Dance", I think. It looks as though they're planning to release it abroad, since the opening credits are already in both Japanese and English.

I am now in three choruses; Green Echo is the newest one. We'll be performing Delius' Sea Drift and William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast on Nov. 27th. I'm looking forward to this, however I have been frustrated by the group's traditionalism. An Example: At rehearsal, they decided to have an hour devoted to looking at the meaning of the lyrics of Sea Drift, by reading it in Japanese, then everyone practicing the English. And they had their Japanese teacher of English (another member of the choir) do the English reading.

I'm looking forward to M coming to visit at the end of this month. (although I'm a nervous because I'm going to be quite busy while she's here.) And then my family is coming in December. In between that, I'm supposed to have the Japanese Proficiency Test, but I haven't heard back from them about my registration, so I need to follow up on that.

There's other stuff, but this is the big bits. I'm continuing with my other activities, aside from Judo. I decided the kids class wasn't fulfilling my needs, and have not found a replacement. I wasn't really looking when it was hot though. blech. It's cold now. I think it's about time to go shopping for some long sleeve shirts for work. I've already started wearing long underwear. I think I might also look for a good overcoat. I feel a little silly wearing my big Adidas Jacket that I bought in high school to school.